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AECHITECTURE. 


ADAPTED  TO  SMALL  SOCIETIES  AND  RURAL  DISTRICTS. 


BY  CHAS.  P.  DWYER, 

Architect  and  Civil  Engineer;  Author  of  "  The  Economic  Cottage  Builder,"  "  Practical 
Masonry,"  etc.,  etc. 


BUFFALO: 

PHINNEY  &   CO.,  PUBLISHERS, 

1856. 


Entered  according  to  Act  of  Congress  in  the  year  1856, 

By  CIIAS.  p.  DWYER, 

In  the  Clerk's  Office  of  the  District  Court  for  the  Northern  District  of  New  York. 


CHAS.  E.    FELTON, 
STEREOTYPER,    .    .    .   BUFFALO. 


DEDICATION. 


TO   THOSE  INESTIMABLE  FRIENDS 

OF  CIVILIZATION, 

THE  TEACHERS  OF  THE  PULPIT  AND  THE  DESK, 

THIS  WORK  IS  ADMIRINGLY 

INSCRIBED, 

BY  ITS  AUTHOR. 


CONTENTS. 


CHURCH  AECHITEOTUEE 

Prelimmary  ThoTights, 9 

Site, 14 

Foundation  and  Basement, 15 

■WaUs, 17 

Floor  and  Roof, 19 

Choir,  or  Organ  Gallery, 20 

Fitness  of  ^tyle, 22 


Unity  of  Effect, .■ 23 

Interior  Colorinsr, 25 

Choice  of  Style.r 26 

Grecian  Style, 28 

Romanesque  Style, 32 

Primitive  Gothic  Stvle,.. 39 

Pointed  Stvle, 41 


PARSONAGES : 

General  Specification, 45  I 

Construction  in  Wood, 47 


Construction  in  Stone, ..    64 

Construction  in  Brick, -.    66 


SCHOOL  ARCHITECTURE 

Constmction,  in  wood,  No.  1, ... 59 

Construction  Xo.  2, 61 

Construction  No.  3, 62 

Construction  Xo.  i, 63 


Construction  ^'o.  fi,  . 
Construction  Xo.  6, 
Construction  Xo.  7, . 
Construction  Xo.  8, . 


£4 
65 
67 


GENERAL  REVIEW: - w 


LIGHTNING  CONDUCTORS: - —  « 


WATER : 

Hard  and  Soft,. 


79 


ESTIMATING : « 


ADDENDA: 

Desk  and  Seat,.. 
Wall  Furniture, 


89  I      laferior  Ooloi&g,. 


92 


."^ 


Vi  CONTENTS. 


ILLUSTRATIONS 


CHURCHES : 

Grecian  style, 28  1       Primitive  St3'le, 39 

Romanesque  Style, 32  |       Pointed  Style,   41 

PARSONAGES : 

Nos.  1,  2,  3,    4,  5,  6,  7,  8, 47 


SCHOOLS : 

Design  No.  1, 59 

Design  No.  2, 61 

Deeign  No.  3, 62 

Design  No.  4, 63 


Design  No.  5, 64 

Design  No.  6, 65 

Design  No.  7, 67 

DesignNo.  8, ...  68 


PREFACE. 


There  are  no  two  institutions  of  civilization  more  inti- 
mately connected  with  each  other,  in  all  the  interests 
which  tend  to  sustain  each,  than  those  of  the  Church  and 
the  School. 

The  Church  is  the  great  teacher  of  Eternal  Truth ;  while 
the  School  is  the  temporal  monitor  and  guide  which  leads 
the  growing  intellect  to  reverence  at  the  shrine  of  that 
Almighty  Being  whose  breath  has  fanned  it  into  existence, 
and  whose  final  fiat  awaits  its  judgment-day. 

The  author  of  the  present  treatise  has  chosen  this  theme 
as  a  fitting  successor  to  that  of  "Cottage  Building;"  for, 
what  is  a  home  without  those  aids  of  human  and  divine 
instruction  which  teach  us  to  appreciate  God's  works  upon 
earth,  and  to  aspire  to  our  legitimate  position  in  immortality. 

Church  and  School  Architecture  belongs  not  exclu- 
sively to  the  wealth  of  cities.  Its  calm  and  simple  dignity 
gains  nothing  by  the  puerile  ornament  of  lavish  extrava- 


8  PREFACE. 

gance.  The  vast  universe  whicli  we  inhabit  is  of  such  un- 
imaginable grandeur  and  wonderful  appropriateness,  that  it 
were  the  merest  vanity  to  drea-m  of  piling  up  an  edifice  with 
human  hands  worthy  of  any  other  end  than  to  stand  as  a 
Eabylonic  testimony  of  man's  infinitesimal  smallness,  and 
the  pitiable  weakness  of  his  vaunted  power,  when  placed  in 
contrast  with  the  works  of  that  Architect  whose  design  is 
faultless,  and  whose  execution  is  perfection  itself. 

It  is  the  neighborhood  of  sylvan-clad  Nature  that  we  seek 
as  the  fitting  site  for  the  simple  structures  we  now  introduce 
to  our  readers  in  the  following  pages ;  and  our  liveliest  am- 
bition is,  that  through  tlie  unpretending  medium  of  this 
little  book,  each  rural  district  may  obtain  a  hint  to  help  in 
the  erection  of  those  landmarks  so  dear  to  the  heart  which 
first   received    its   pure    impressions    within    their   modest 

walls — the  Church  and  the  School. 

C.  P.  DWYER. 
Buffalo,  March,  1S56. 


CHURCH  ARCHITECTURE. 


PRELDIIXARY  THOUGHTS. 

In  taking  up  the  subject  of  Church  constructiou,  there 
are  some  poiuts  worthy  of  particular  attention;  namely,  the 
absolute  necessity  for  hearing  distinctly  in  every  part  of  the 
building;  the  advantage  of  a  judicious  introduction  of  light; 
the  securing  of  warmth  in  winter  and  coolness  in  summer ; 
and  lastly,  the  facility  of  ingress  and  egi-ess,  and  perfect 
accommodation  of  the  auditory. 

In  order  to  insure  the  valuable  privilege  of  catching, 
without  effort,  every  word  that  falls  from  the  minister,  or 
every  tone  of  harmony  wafted  from  the  tuneful  choir,  it 
must  be  borne  in  mind  that  the  formation  of  the  interior 
has  the  chief  bearing  on  this  requisite.  A  room  the  walls 
of  wliich  are  circular,  or  even  elliptical,  will  give  an  echo ; 
for  the  reason  that  sound  is  governed  by  precisely  the  same 
laws  as  light;  and,  therefore,  rtjlcction  in  the  one  is  the  same 
production  as  in  the  other. 

Now,  let  any  inquiring  person  apply  his  moistened  finger 
to  the  perimeter  of  an  ordinary  drinkiug-glass,  and  by  push- 
ing it  around  he  will  produce  one  continued  volume  of 
sound,  which  will  last  just  precisely  as  long  as  the  finger 
keeps  moving  around  the  circle. 

It  is  thus  with  the  walls  we  speak  of,  particularly  if 


10  CHUECir   ARCHITECTURE. 

smoothly  plastered :  the  speaker  is  discomposed  by  the  roll- 
ing echo  of  his  own  voice,  sent  back  upon  him,  as  if  in 
mockery,  while  his  hearers  seek  in  vain  to  distinguish  be- 
tween the  substance  and  its  shadow — for  so  may  we  consider 
the  voice  and  its  echo. 

A  Church  that  has  cloisters,  or  deep  recesses,  is  subject 
to  this  unpleasant  echo;  but,  as  in  this  treatise  we  -have 
nothing  to  say  to  the  more  pretending  edifices,  it  is  not 
necessary  to  more  than  allude  to  the  fact  as  part  proof  of 
the  theory  of  reflection  of  sound.  The  conclusion  to  be 
drawn,  then,  is,  that  an  unbroken  circular  wall  should  be 
avoided,  and  that  transepts,  or  wings,  are  more  or  less  inim- 
ical to  the  clear  and  unimpeded  transmission  of  sound.  The 
square,  or  the  oblong,  are  unquestionably  the  most  desirable 
forms ;  and  these  must  be  assisted  by  a  reasonable  hight  of 
ceiling — otherwise  the  voice  will  often  lack  the  power  neces- 
sary to  reach  the  opposite  end  from  that  whence  it  starts; 
for,  sound  will  ascend  before  it  seeks  its  level.  As  in  the 
instance  of  a  cannon  fired  at  a  distance  from  an  observer, 
his  eye  detects  the  flash  instantly,  at  its  birth ;  while  his 
ear  fails  to  catch  the  accompanying  sound  until  it  has  gone 
upward,  and  passing  over  the  exhalations  of  the  intervening 
space,  descends  to  its  level  and  his  ear. 

It  should  be  noted  by  the  reader  that  every  breath  exhaled 
by  an  audience  tends  to  oppose  the  direct  transmission  of 
sound.  Let  any  one  go  into  a  church  or  a  lecture-room  when 
it  is  empty,  and  try  his  voice ;  let  him  go  into  either  of 
those  places  when  filled  with  an  audience,  and  make  the 
same  trial,  and  he  will  not  fail  to  come  to  the  conclusion 
that  we  have  here  laid  down. 


CHURCH  AECHITECTURE.  11 

There  is  a  proportion  necessary  to  be  observed  in  building 
with  a  view  to  the  due  conveyance  of  sound.  But,  as  the 
strict  standard  can  not  at  all  times  be  adhered  to,  owing  to 
other  necessities  which  must  be  taken  into  consideration, 
it  must  nevertheless  be  kept  in  sight  as  much  as  possible. 

Galleries  on  the  sides  of  a  church,  if  deep,  tend  to  ob- 
struct both  the  sight  and  heaving  of  those  under  them  on  the 
floor  below,  unless  the  pulpit  or  reading-desk  be  placed  low 
enough  to  meet  the  necessities  of  tlie  case. 

The  best  proportion  for" practical  purposes  is  to  have  the 
Church  double  its  breadth  in  length,  and  two-thirds  of  its  h'cadth 
in  hisjit' 

The  elevation  of  the  galleries  should  be  such  that  a  line 
of  sight  drawn  from  the  eye  of  an  observer  standing  in  the 
remotest  spot  should  clear  the  point  where  the  minister's 
head  is  supposed  to  be  in  the  pulpit. 

This  rule  is  likewise  applicable  to  the  locating  of  the 
pulpit.  And,  indeed,  it  may  be  as  well  to  observe  that  a 
little  lower  is  much  better  than  a  higher  position  for  the 
speaker  and  his  hearers  also,  if  it  were  for  no  other  reason  ' 
than  that  the  latter  can  at  less  inconvenience  keep 
their  eye  upon  him,  (that  is,  those  whose  pews  are  in  his 
immedinte  locality.) 

Where  Galleries  are  used,  it  would  be  very  well  to  let  the 
surface  of  the  ceiling  decline  from  front  to  rear — thus  the 
voice  of  the  minister  would  inevitably  be  borne  into  the 
remotest  part,  and  the  light  from  the  lower  section  of  the 
windows  be  refracted  by  the  white  surface,  and  become 
more  available  to  the  body  of  the  church  than  it  is  under 


12  CHURCH  ARCHITECTURE. 

the  present  arrangement  of  level  ceilings,  or  those  inclined 
parallel  to  the  gradation  of  the  gallery  itself. 

The  judicious  introduction  of  light  is  the  consideration 
which  should  occupy  a  kindred  place  with  that  just  noticed. 

There  may  be  such  a  thing  as  over-lighting  a  church;  or  in 
plainer  terms,  admitting  too  great  a  glare.  This  is  a  very 
serious  defect,  and  one  which  in  Church  Architecture  is  un- 
pardonable; for  such  an  important  matter  is  the  just 
arrangement  of  light  that  it  may  be  said  to  contain  within 
itself  the  very  element  of  which  piety  is  composed  ;  namely, 
solemnity  of  feeling,  which  is  productive  of  sobriety  of 
thought,  and  intuitively  leads  the  soul  to  commune  with  its 
Creator.  Profuse  light,  on  the  other  hand,  bears  on  its  gaudy 
wings  the  glare  and  glitter  of  the  outer  world,  and  abstracts 
the  mind,  however  purely  intentioned. 

The  heathens  had  a  juster  idea  of  this  power  of  light 
than  we  in  our  day  of  boasted  civilization  possess.  They 
excluded  it  altogether  from  their  fanes,  and  substituted  for 
it  the  somber  light  of  an  oil  lamp.  There  is  not  a  single 
'  example  on  record  of  a  Grecian  temple  having  windows ;  or, 
indeed,  any  aperture  save  the  door. 

It  is  not  to  be  understood  that  we  would  counsel  the 
adoption  of  this  heathen  darkness ;  but  we  would  decidedly 
uphold  the  doctrine  of  sobriety  of  light  in  churches,  let  it 
be  produced  either  by  having  less  windows,  narrow  aper- 
tures, or,  if  the  windows  must  needs  be  there,  to  have  the 
glass  stained  with  rose,  or  any  other  color  which  may  blend 
the  feelings  with  the  religious  object  sought  for  in  that  holy 
place. 

Heating  and  Ventilation  come   next   under  our  observa- 


CHUECH   ARCHITECTURE.  13 

tion.  Both  are  objects  of  great  interest  in  the  construction 
of  churches ;  and  a  want  of  either  would  be  certain  to  render 
uncomfortable  any  building  in  other  respects  admirable. 

Stoves  in  churches  are  accompanied  by  inconvenience; 
for,  those  who  are  placed  in  the  immediate  neighborhood 
are  apt  to  suffer  from  heat,  while  those  at  a  distance  are 
uncomfortably  cold. 

Again,  the  use  of  stoves  has  one  serious  drawback  above 
all  others;  namely,  that  the  feci  are  cold,  while  the  heads 
of  the  congregation  are  warm,  if  not  hot;  thus  reversing  the 
order  required  for  a  healthful  arrangement  of  heat. 

Heat  should  invariably  be  introduced  through  the  floor,  or 
at  least  on  a  line  with  it. 

Lastly,  as  to  the  complete  comfort  of  a  congregation :  the 
plan  of  pews  or  slips  should  be  especially  attended  to,  and 
the  one  main  object  held  in  view — that  of  affording  ample 
room  to  every  sitter. 

Pews  should  on  no  account  be  crowded ;  better  to  enlarge 
the  Church  than  to  incommode  the  congregation. 

With  these  preliminary  observations,  we  now  enter  upon 
the  particulars  of  our  subject. 


14  CHURCH   ARCHITECTURE. 


THE  SITE. 

The  Church  should  stand  as  nearly  in  the  center  of  its 
own  district  or  parish  as  possible ;  and  this  great  desidera- 
tum can  be  far  easier  attained  in  the  country  than  in  towns. 
But,  in  no  case  should  it  be  placed  next  to  a  noisy  thorough- 
fare. A  distance  of  one  hundred  yards  is  not  too  much,  if 
the  foreground  be  tastefully  laid  out,  and  judiciously  planted. 

The  site  should  be  somewhat  elevated,  so  that  the  House 
of  God  may  be  seen  from  a  distance — the  sacred  Ark  of  the 
Covenant  presiding  over  the  troubled  waters  of  a  restless 
world ; —  and  that  the  soothing  sound  of  its  inviting  bell  may 
reach,  unimpeded,  the  ears  of  its  most  distant  children, 
calling  the  faithful  flock  to  the  Sabbath  fold. 


CHURCH   ARCHITECTURE.  15 


THE  FOUNDATION  AND  BASEMENT. 

The  plan  of  the  Church  being  agreed  upon,  and  not  to 
be  deviated  from,  the  first  step  toward  its  execution  is  the 
marking  out  of  the  foundations,  which  sliould  always  be  at 
least  one  foot  wider  and  longer  than  the  plan  lines ;  that  is, 
six  inches  all  around. 

In  case  a  proper  instrument  is  not  at  hand  to  square  the 
outlines,  it  is  only  necessary  to  take  an  ordinary  line  or  pack- 
thread, and  with  two  stakes  set  it  down  parallel  with  the 
street  or  road;  then  take  another  similar  line,  of  the  in- 
tended length  of  the  building,  and  join  it  at  a  right-angle 
with  the  first  line  at  either  corner,  and  where  the  corner  of 
the  building  is  to  be ;  next,  measure  off"  on  the  front  line, 
(beginning  at  the  comer,)  four  feet ;  then  on  the  side  line, 
(beginning  as  before,)  three  feet;  lastly,  take  to  join  these 
two  points,  five  feet,  and  thus  will  a  perfectly  true  angle  of 
ninety  degrees  be  found,  which  being  repeated  at  the  other 
corners,  will  square  the  foundations  to  a  nicety. 

It  now  becomes  necessary  to  mark  those  outlines  of 
foundations  on  the  ground,  and  to  remove  the  surface  of  the 
whole  included  area  to  a  depth  of  four  feet,  by  first  plowing, 
and  then  drawing  off  the  earth  to  the  outside. 

The  sewer,  or  rain-water  drain  should  then  be  cut  out,  to 
run  from  the  highest  part  of  the  ground  to  the  lowest.     It 


IQ  CHURCH   ARCHITECTURE. 

may  be  of  a  V  form,  made  of  boards  and  covered  with  plank, 
of  any  suitable  dimensions,  from  six  to  ten  inches  wide,  and 
from  three  to  six  inches  deep. 

This  drain  will  always  secure  the  walls  against  damp 
arising  from  snow  or  rain. 

The  foundation  trenches  should  now  be  sunk  at  least  a 
foot  and  a  half  below  the  line  of  basement  floor,  care  being 
taken  to  make  the  foundation  under  the  tower  (if  there  is  to 
be  one,)  half  again  as  wide  as  that  for  the  church. 

The  basement  should  be  built  up  at  least  three  feet  above 
gi'ound,  so  as  to  leave  room  in  it  for  a  furnace  and  fuel. 


CHURCH   ARCHITECTURE.  17 


THE  WALLS. 

Of  the  material  of  which  the  walls  shall  be  constructed, 
everytliing  depends  on  the  locality.  But,  whether  it  be  of 
wood,  stone  or  brick,  it  is  very  essential  that  it  should  be  of 
durable  construction,  and  the  first  cost  prove  to  be  the  only 
cost  for  years. 

Even  though  timber  be  cheap,  it  is  not  most  desirable  to 
use  such  material,  if  that  which  is  more  durable  and  less 
liable  to  be  consumed  by  fire  can  be  at  all  procured. 

There  are  few  localities  in  which  stone  can  not  be  pro- 
cured, or  brick  be  made,  and  therefore  it  becomes  a  matter 
of  moment  to  build  of  such. 

Yet  where  none  of  those  materials  can  be  had,  concrete  is 
far  more  desirable  than  timber,  and  should,  as  a  matter  of 
necessity,  be  used. 

But,  whatever  be  the  material  of  which  the  walls  may  be 
built,  it  is  very  desirable  that  they  be  of  sufficient  thickness 
to  insure  the  most  perfect  stability. 

A  passage  of  three  or  four  inches  should  be  left  in  tlie 
thickness  of  the  wall,  to  insure  its  dryness ;  in  which  case  the 
necessity  for  lathing  is  done  away  with,  except  where  frame- 
work is  used.  In  brick  or  stone-work  this  air-passage  must 
have  bonds  at  every  ten  or  twelve  inches  in  hight,  and  at 
every  thirty-two  inches  in  length. 


18  CHURCH  ARCHITECTURE. 

The  walls  for  a  Tower  should  be  built  independent  of  the 
main  building,  so  that  should  a  settlement  take  place  in  the 
former,  the  latter  might  not  suffer.  In  such  construction,  it 
is  to  be  understood  that  the  wall  of  the  Tower  is  to  be  built 
as  close  up  to  that  of  the  main  building  as  though  they  were 
actually  one. 


;f' 


CHURCH   ARCHITECtUfiE.  19 


THE  FLOOR  AND  THE  ROOF. 

The  beams  running  through  for  flooring  joists  to  bear 
upon  should  always  be  supported  by  brick  or  stone  piers, 
solidly  built.  On  the  sides  or  cheeks  of  those  beams,  even 
pieces  of  scantling  should  be  nailed,  to  support  a  sheeting 
of  plank,  which  may  also  be  sustained  along  its  surface,  by 
being  nailed  to  the  bottom  of  joists;  and  when  these  joists 
are  all  laid,  a  composition  of  five  parts  sand  and  one  part 
lime,  sufficiently  saturated  with  water,  may  be  turned  in 
until  it  is  two  or  three  inches  thick.  The  flooring-boards 
may  then  be  laid,  as  usual ;  and  a  compact,  air-tight,  perma- 
nent floor  is  thus  formed,  far  superior  to  that  in  ordinary  use. 

The  Roof  of  a  Church  is  an  object  worthy  of  mature 
consideration;  the  chief  points  in  which  are,  the  acquire- 
ment of  strength  without  any  unnecessary  use  of  material, 
and  the  mutual  dependence  of  each  and  every  part  in  the 
formation  of  a  frame,  which,  at  the  same  time  that  it  possesses 
sufficient  power  in  itself  to  resist  pressure,  it  gives  no  undue 
pressure  to  the  walls  themselves  on  which  it  has  its  bearing. 
And  herein  consists  the  requirement  for  ^-perftct  roof. 

Science,  in  its  theory  and  practice,  has  established  some 
very  good  constructions  of  roofing,  and  it  is  doubtful 
whether  much  more  can  be  added  to  the  knowledge  already 
acquired  on  this  subject. 


20  CHURCH  ARCHITECTUBE. 


THE  CHOIR,  OR  ORGAN  GALLERY. 

In  the  country,  as  in  the  city,  a  strong  desire  exists  to  have 
Divine  Worship  accompained  by  music.  A  gallery  exclu- 
sively for  that  pui-pose  is  therefore  always  necessary. 

The  location  and  arrangement  of  this  gallery  must  com- 
mand special  attention;  for,  much  depends  on  both.  A 
v/ell-constructed  organ  gallery  is  not  alone  desirable  to  the 
congregation,  who  are  anxious  to  hear;  but  it  is  of  very 
great  advantage  to  the  choir,  who  wish  to  be  heard  with  the 
least  possible  effort  to  themselves. 

For  all  purposes  of  hearing,  the  acoustic  shell  is  well  cal- 
culated. This  is  a  construction  of  sound-board  adapted  by 
its  plan  of  surface  to  catch  the  rays  of  sound  emanating  from 
the  voice  or  voices  of  persons  placed  on  a  certain  focal-line, 
and  reflecting  back  the  sounds  upon  the  hearers,  for  whom 
they  were  intended.  For  pulpits  or  choirs  they  are  alike 
excellent ;  and  whether  used  in  small  or  large  churches  are 
never  out  of  place. 

The  simplest  rule  to  adopt  in  the  striking  out  of  the 
necessary  curvature  is,  to  take  the  seats  as  a  base-line,  and, 
taking  the  furthermost  part  of  the  church,  or  room,  as  a 
center  or  axis,  describe  a  segment  of  any  convenient  hight. 
For  a  pulpit,  this  segment  should  not  protrude  beyond  the 
head  of  the  speaker,  nor  be  broader  than  the  pulpit  itself. 
The  curvature  for  the  choir  is  found  in  a  similar  manner,  and 


CHURCH   ARCHITECTURE.  21 

it  need  not  protrude   beyond   one-half  the  depth  of  the 
gallery. 

This  acoustic  shell,  whether  used  for  Pulpit  or  Choir, 
should  be  hollow-backed.  That  is,  the  shell  should  be 
conveniently  free  from  the  wall  at  its  back,  and  have  no 
filling  or  boxing.  Thus,  an  echo  or  reverberation  of  sound 
is  avoided,  which  would  inevitably  accompany  such  boxing. 


92  CHURCH    ARCHITECTURE. 


FITNESS  OF  STYLE. 

'  The  peculiar  feature  of  any  locality  should  govern  the 
style  of  its  architecture.  Thus,  for  instance,  if  the  neigh- 
borhood be  thickly  wooded,  what  style  more  consonant  can 
be  found  than  that  called  "  Kustic  Gothic  ?  "  In  it  are  to  be 
seen  all  the  little  details  which  give  unity  of  expression, 
and  which  in  themselves  resemble  those  sylvan  temples 
which  Nature's  unerring  hand  has  reared  and  specially 
dedicated  to  the  Deity,  to  whom  the  feathered  choristers, 
which  inhabit  its  branching  aisles,  send  up  their  songs  of 
morning  salutation  and  of  evening  praise. 

And  again,  in  the  neighborhood  of  a  stone  quarry,  where 
the  country  around  is  intersected  or  bounded  by  bold,  rocky 
scenery,  what  style  is  more  fitting  for  the  temple  of  the 
Deity  who  presides  than  that  bold,  massive,  simple  Saxon 
which  belongs  to  such  a  place. 

The  city,  more  polished  in  art,  may  claim  as  its  own  the 
rigidly  classic  Grecian,  the  more  ornate  Roman,  or  the  gor- 
geously fantastic  Gothic. 

In  fact,  every  locality  has  its  peculiar  style,  and  should 
have  its  claim  allowed. 

But,  whatever  be  the  style,  let  it  be  pure  and  unadulter- 
ated ;  for,  in  that  very  purity  lies  the  secret  of  true  beauty, 
founded  on  legitimate  connection  alone,  and  accountable 
only  to  its  parent  thought  for  the  seeming  discrepancies  ni 
its  features. 


CHURCH   ARCHITECTUBE.  .23 


UNITY  OF  EFFECT. 

In  the  preceding  chapter  we  have  spoken  of  the  fitness 
of  style.  We  now  proceed  to  the  naturally  succeeding  sub- 
ject— the  unity  of  effect. 

The  first  point  to  which  we  would  call  attention  is  the 
necessity  for  an  agreement  between  the  exterior  and  interior 
of  the  building  in  its  style.  There  can  not  be  anything 
more  truly  absurd,  or  more  painful  to  a  mind  capable  of  any 
discernment,  than  a  deviation  in  this  matter.  And  here 
Nature  gives  us  a  most  impressive  lesson,  in  the  fact  that 
where  she  has  given  a  handsome  figure  or  face  to  man,  any 
attempt  to  improve  on  it  is  hurtful  to  her  first  design ;  and 
where  she  has  formed  an  ugly  face,  the  addition  of  a  few 
pleasing  features  would  but  tend  to  make  it  monstrous,  by 
presenting  a  striking  and  positively  painful  contrast. 

Unity  of  design  is  the  one  pervading  beauty  of  this  fault- 
less system  in  which  we  live,  and  its  influence  upon  our 
senses  generates  that  wonder  and  delight  which  give  to 
man  the  greatest  pleasure  he  is  capable  of  enjoying;  for, 
from  the  contemplation  of  perfection,  tlie  soul  instinctively 
turns  to  the  adoration  of  Him  who  is  its  Author. 

In  Church  Architecture,  how  necessary  it  is  that  this 
unity  of  design  should  be  preserved,  and  that  the  style  of  the 
inside  should  perfectly  correspond  with  that  of  the  outside. 
Let  every  ornament  be  in  perfect  keeping  with  the  general 


24  CHURCH   ARCHITECTURE. 

style.  Let  the  pulpit,  or  reading-desk,  be  rigidly  pure  in 
this  respect ;  so  that  they  may  not  appear  for  one  instant 
out  of  place. 

Let  the  walls  and  ceiling,  if  ornamented  at  all,  be  pre- 
servative of  the  one  presiding  idea — the  union  of  each  and 
all  under  one  head — the  unquestionable  presence  of  unity 
of  design. 


CHURCH   ARCHITECTURE.  25 


INTERIOR  COLORING. 

White,  though  the  received  emblem  of  purity,  is,  never- 
theless, an  injudicious  color  for  the  inside- wall  face  of 
churches.  It  is  too  glaring  to  the  eye,  besides  being  but 
too  apt  to  display  dirt;  and  therefore  requiiing  constant- 
renewal. 

A  slight  admixture  of  coloring  material,  such  as  ochre, 
rose,  umber,  or  terra-sienna,  will  give  a  pleasing  tint,  better 
suited  to  the  place  of  solemn  worship  than  gaudy  white. 

No  accurate  proportions  need  here  be  given ;  for,  experi- 
ment can  easily  find  the  shade  that  pleases  most. 


86  CHURCH   ARCHITECTURE. 


THE  CHOICE  OF  STYLE. 

This  is  a  question  of  moment  to  the  community  about  lo 
build ;  and  one  which  should  not  be  lightly  treated.  In  it 
are  involved  the  taste,  permanency,  comfort  and  economy 
of  the  church  about  to  be  erected. 

Taste  must,  too  often,  be  subservient  to  economy;  but 
pennanency  never  should  be  compromised  to  either.  Taste 
and  Economy  may,  nevertheless,  go  together,  and  perma- 
nency not  lose  one  fraction  of  its  rights.  Here  then  is  the 
desideratum :  the  very  combination  which  men  of  sense  and 
judgment  will  patiently  look  for  with  a  worthy  determina- 
tion to  find. 

Straight  lines,  not  admitting  a  single  curve,  in  the  design, 
may  surely  be  considered  as  the  most  economical  projection 
that  can  be  formed. 

To  this  the  severe  rules  of  architectural  proportion  may 
be  strictly  applied,  and  the  result  be  a  union  of  simple,  yet 
harmonious  parts  in  striking  accordance  with  true  taste. 

Deviating  from  this  extreme  plainness  or  simplicity  of 
style,  our  next  step  is  cautiously  taken,  and  we  approach  the 
curve,  still  preserving  the  integrity  of  taste  by  insuring  a 
representation  of  unity  tliroughout ;  and  where  the  windows 
form  into  arches  above,  the  belfry  or  other  distinctive  finish 
shall  likewise  present  a  similar  curvature  at  top. 


CHURCH   ARCHITECTURE.  27 

Again :  advancing  by  degrees  on  our  pathway,  we  steal,  as 
it  were,  into  the  more  ornate  styles,  and  find  that  the  simple 
semi-circular  curve  over  windows,  doors,  and  belfries,  may 
borrow  an  additional  grace  by  having  their  outline  formed 
of  distinct  curves  springing  from  four  centers,  and  yet  re- 
taining their  primitive  unity  of  effect. 

Pleased  with  success  so  far  secured,  we  venture  onward, 
and  boldly  point  our  pinnacles  toward  that  Heaven  the 
Christian  seeks. 

Our  windows  now  partake  of  the  form  that  governs  the 
spire,  the  pinnacle,  and  the  very  roof  itself.  Two  arcs  of 
circles  meeting  at  the  top  now  crown  the  openings,  and  all 
is  still  true  to  the  first  principle,  the  ruling  feature  of  the 
rest,  unity  of  style,  unity  of  idea,  unity  of  effect — all  is 
UNITY — and  Taste  has  its  unalloyed  gratification. 

It  remains  with  the  scientific  mechanic  to  secure  Perma- 
nency and  Economy. 


28  '    CHURCH   ARCHITECTURE. 


GRECIAN  STYLE. 

The  design  we  take  first  into  consideration  is  the  quiet- 
looking  yet  impressive  Grecian  elevation  here  presented. 
Not  a  line,  save  vertical  or  horizontal,  is  to  be  found  in  its 
unpretending  outline  and  simple  details. 

It  is  strictly  in  accordance  with  the  law  of  proportion ; 
and  the  scrutinizing  eye  will  therefore  seek  in  vain  for  an 
impediment  to  rest  upon.  Great  strength  may  be  applied 
to  its  construction,  or  lightness  of  material  be  determined 
on :  it  will,  in  the  one  case  as  in  the  other,  still  bear  the 
impressive  appearance  of  stability  derived  from  the  very 
squareness  of  its  nature. 

Viewed  in  an  economic  light,  it  is,  without  comparison, 
the  style  to  adopt.  It  does  not  require  any  extra  skill  on 
the  part  of  the  mechanic,  and  its  appearance  will  be  admir- 
able in  any  locality,  but  most  so  in  the  quiet  little  village, 
whose  neighboring  woods  still  stand  in  witness  of  Nature's 
late  dominion  there. 

Specifications. 

This  design  may  be  erected  in  wood,  brick,  or  stone. 

If  in  wood,  and  that  material  be  cheap,  it  might  be 
advisable  to  lay  the  walls  plank-on-Jlat,  as  follows : 

Having  completed  the  foundation,  and  carried  the  base 
wall  up  some  two  feet  above  ground,  decide  where  the 


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CHURCH   ARCHITECTURE.  29 

entrance-door  is  to  be ;  and  commence  on  its  left  side  to  lay 
the  superstructure,  plank  after  plank,  all  around  the  build- 
ing, until  you  arrive  at  the  right  side  of  the  entrance-door, 
from  whence  you  set  out. 

Let  those  planks,  in  this  and  all  succeeding  courses,  be 
ten  inches  wdde,  three  inches  thick,  and  be  well  seasoned 
and  sound  hemlock  lumber. 

Proceed  on,  course  over  course,  taking  care  always  to 
break  joint  by  putting  down  half-jilanJcs  at  the  commence- 
ment of  alternate  courses. 

At  every  fourth  course,  stout  oak  pins  should  bind  all 
together,  say,  five  feet  apart  from  each  other. 

When  the  level  is  attained  at  which  the  windows  are  to 
be  located,  let  their  respective  places  be  accurately  deter- 
mined, and  the  frames  be  set  up  and  secured.  The  planking 
will  then  be  continued,  as  before:  observing  to  have  the 
ends  which  will  form  the  window-jambs  fairly  matched,  so 
as  to  form  an  even  surface.  ^ 

Throughout  the  progress  of  the  laying,  the  plumb-rule 
should  constantly  test  the  work. 

When  the  walls  are  finished,  the  next  step  is  the  laying 
of  the  ceiling-joists,  which  should  be  but  sixteen  inches 
apart  from  center  to  center:  each  joist  to  be  three  inches 
by  ten  or  twelve  inches,  and  go  entirely  across  the  build- 
ing— every  fourth  one  having  a  king-post,  eight  inches 
wide  and  three  inches  thick,  firmly  spiked  to  it.  All  those 
king-posts  to  range  very  truly  at  the  center  of  the  building. 
If  thought  necessary,  struts  might  also  be  introduced 
between  the  king-posts  and  each  wall. 


30  CHURCH   ARCHITECTURE. 

The  pole  or  ridge  is  now  to  be  hafted  down  on  these 
king-posts;  and  the  rafters,  six  by  three,  are  to  be  spiked 
home  to  this  ridge,  and  also  spiked  at  their  feet  to  the  wall. 

The  roof  may  now  be  carefully  boarded  with  matched 
hemlock,  two  inches  thick. 

This  roof  might  then  be  covered  with  sheets  of  brown 
paper  dipped  in  boiling  tar;  and  when  completely  covered, 
tar  should  be  poured  on  over  the  whole  surface,  and  lime  in 
powder,  or  chalk,  be  sifted  freely  upon  its  surface.  Sand 
may  next  be  thickly  distributed,  until  the  appearance  of  the 
tar  is  not  to  be  recognized.  A  grout  of  lime,  sand,  and  hot 
water,  may  be  thrown  over  the  whole,  and  the  roof  is 
complete. 

The  interior  finish  must  be  in  perfect  keeping  with  the 
plainness  of  the  exterior. 

Adhering  to  the  supposition  that  lumber  is  cheap  in  the 
locality,  we  will  find  sheeting  or  wainscoting  desirable  for 
the  walls  and  ceiling.  But  in  the  use  of  such  covering  we 
can  not  too  strongly  urge  the  necessity  for  using  narrow 
breadths,  and  tonguing  and  grooving. 

This  Church  may  have  an  organ-gallery  over  the  entrance 
into  aisle.  It  should  be  composed  of  a  bressumer  or  beam 
running  from  wall  to  wall,  twelve  or  fifteen  feet  advanced 
into  the  church,  and  about  eight  feet  above  the  floor-line. 

This  beam  may  be  supported  at  two  points  by  plain, 
square  columns. 

A  parallel  beam  to  this  should  run  at  the  back  of  gallery 
and  the  flooring-joists  should  be  notched  into  both,  and  be 
twelve  feet  apart  from  center  to  center :  floored  above  and 
ceiled  beneath  with  nice,  clean,  sound  pine. 


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CHURCH  ARCHITECTURE.  31 

The  front  of  this  gallery  should  be  square  paneled,  with 
out  any  ornament. 

The  slips,  or  pews,  should  be  stoutly  framed,  the  backs 
to  have  a  gentle  inclination,  being  open  below  the  seat:  the 
seat  to  be  closed  in  front.  Thus  a  convenient  place  for  hats, 
etc.,  is  provided  for  each  pew. 


32  CHURCH    ARCHITECTURE. 


ROMANESQUE  STYLE. 

The  design  here  given  is  one  of  those  which  easily  adapt 
themselves  to  the  wants  of  a  small  congregation.  The  semi- 
circular heads  to  the  windows  give  the  leading  featm-e,  and 
add  but  slightly  to  the  cost  of  the  square  window  heads  of 
the  design  wliich  preceded  it. 

The  glass  of  the  side  windows  should  be  stained  a  light 
red  or  buff;  and  the  effect  thus  produced  would  be  pleasing 
in  the  extreme. 

The  ceiling  should  form  a  segment  of  a  circle,  to  be  per- 
fectly in  keeping  with  the  exterior.  The  paneling  of  pews 
should  likewise  sustain  the  style  by  having  circular  heads. 
And,  in  fine,  everywhere  that  the  character  of  design  can  be 
denoted,  it  would  be  not  alone  proper  but  highly  necessary 
to  mark  it  unmistakably. 

Specifications. 

The  design  under  consideration  may  be  executed  in  wood, 
brick,  or  stone.     We  will  suppose  it  to  be  required  in  brick. 

The  Foundation  having  been  regularly  staked  out,  and 
the  trenches  dug  to  a  depth  of  five  feet,  with  a  breadth  of 
two  feet  six  inches,  the  concrete  may  be  thrown  in  and 
rammed,  going  regularly  around  the  trenches  until  all  be 
filled  to  the  surface  of  the  ground. 


^-----^-^-:-----\ 


CHURGrl   E 


CHUKCH    ARCHITECTURE.  S3 

In  making  the  concrete  for  this  purpose,  it  would  be  well 
to  put  in  a  good  proportion  of  water-lime,  as  it  will  then  not 
alone  be  harder,  but  it  will  set  the  quicker — both  being 
objects  w^orthy  of  attainment. 

And  here  we  would  observe,  that  the  exclusion  of  com- 
mon lime  from  concrete  which  is  to  be  placed  below  ground 
is  a  very  great  mistake,  as  well  on  the  score  of  perfection 
as  of  economy. 

Water-lime  in  settling  loses  one-fifth  of  its  bulk ;  so  that 
where  it  and  sand  are  alone  used,  the  consequence  must  be. 
a  fracture  in  the  composition. 

Now,  as  common  lime  is  well  known  to  swell  in  slaking, 
does  it  not  appear  reasonable  that  the  two  limes  possessing 
those  opposite  qualities  might  be  so  proportioned  as  to  ac- 
commodate each  other,  and  make  a  perfect  bond  for  the 
silex  or  gravel? 

To  give  such  proportion  here  as  might  answer  any  or 
every  locality  would  not  be  possible ;  because  both  water- 
lime  and  common  lime  are  of  very  different  degrees  of 
strength  in  various  places.  The  only  way  to  become 
assured  on  this  most  important  question  is  to  try  experi- 
ments on  a  small  scale  —  say  ten  or  twelve  different  propor- 
tions of  about  a  peck  each,  and  a  just  conclusion  must  be 
arrived  at. 

The  Concrete  should  be  made  in  a  box,  ten  feet  square 
and  two  feet  high  ;  and  when  well  turned  once  or  twice,  it 
should,  be  shoveled  in  the  trenches  without  delay,  as,  if 
good,  it  will  set  rapidly.  Let  it  be  spread  in  thin  layers  so 
that  the  moisture  can  have  an  opportunity  of  being  absorbed 
readily. 


34  CHURCH    ARCHITECTUKE. 

The  Foundations  having  been  thus  carried  up  to  their 
full  hight,  the  next  two  feet  and  a  half  may  be  built  of 
rubble  masonry  set  in  cement.  This  course  should  be  two 
feet  thick,  projecting  six  inches  on  the  inside  to  admit  of  the 
flooring  joists  resting  on  it. 

The  wall-plates  may  now  be  laid  perfectly  level,  and  the 
joists  set  on  them.  These  flooring  joists  are  to  be  twelve 
inches  by  three,  and  laid  one  foot  apart  from  center  to 
center. 

The  superstructure  is  now  to  be  begun  in  courses  of  hard, 
well-burned  brick,  eighteen  inches  wide,  in  Flemish  joint, 
working  the  front  last.  But  care  must  be  taken  to  insure 
a  good  bond  at  the  junction  of  front  and  side  walls,  by 
building  up  the  quoins  as  the  work  progresses. 

And  here  let  us  advocate  the  economy  and  wisdom  of 
leaving  a  space  of  two  or  three  inches  between  the  front 
and  back  layers  of  brick  —  in  other  words,  building  a  hollow 
wall.  The  arguments  in  its  favor  are  many ;  but  the  chief 
is  the  saving  of  firring  and  lathing — the  plastering  being 
put  on  to  the  wall.  And  as  no  damp  can  by  any  possibility 
strike  tlirough,  there  is  no  objection  to  such  a  course. 

Should  the  hoJlow-wall  system  be  adopted,  it  will  be  highly 
necessary  to  have  bonds  occur  as  often  as  possible. 

The  front  must  be  carefully  erected,  in  conformity  with 
the  elevation,  the  shadows  on  which  mark  the  required  pro- 
jections and  depressions,  as  they  are  cast  to  an  angle  of  iS'^. 
The  Roof  should  be  a  simple  truss ;  the  angles  at  each 
wall  to  be  ribbed,  so  as  to  form  with  the  ceiling-joists  a 
graceful  curve. 


CHURCH    ARCHITECTURE.  35 

The  timbers  of  each  truss  should  be, 

Tie  Beam, 12  by  8 

King-Post,.. 8  by  4 

Principal    Rafter, 6  by  4 

Struts, 5  by  4 

These  timbers  should  be  judiciously  ironed  and  perma- 
nently secured,  forming  well-framed  trusses.  Each  to  be 
ten  feet  apart  from  its  neighboring  truss. 

Purlins,  or  horizontal  timbers  4  by  5,  are  to  be  laid  mid- 
way from  ridge  to  eaves.  One  may  be  sufficient  on  each 
side,  provided  the  roof  covering  is  not  of  very  heavy  mate- 
rial— such  a«  slate,  tile,  iron. 

The  roof  may  now  be  sheeted  over  with  inch  boarding, 
accurately  matched,  and  the  covering,  whatever  it  may  be, 
laid. 

Well-burned,  glazed  tiles  would  make  a  very  suitable  roof- 
ing material  for  a  design  like  this,  if  potter's  earth  was  to 
be  found  in  sufficient  quantities  in  the  neighborhood  to  war- 
rant its  use. 

The  tiles  should  be  moulded  in  a  corrugated  form,  bo  as 
to  effectually  cover  joints,  and  they  should  likewise  \\«fe  a 
thick  coat  of  glaze  on  their  outside,  produced  by  salt  t)r 
other  material;  be  well  burned,  and  equal  to  a  certain  re- 
sistance of  the  frost  and  the  heat. 

Slate  is  an  excellent  covering  for  churches,  and  it  is  Itow 
coming  into  very  general  use  in  this  country,  particularly 
on  buildings  erected  under  the  direct  control  of  the  go^Wn- 


36  CHURCH   ARCHITECTURE. 

ment  departments:  it  having  been  ascertained  tliat  this 
climate  is  not,  as  was  supposed,  invidious  to  that  article. 

Iron  corrugated  plates  come  next  in  succession  of  desirable 
roofing  materials;  but  they  should  be  galvanized,  to  avoid 
the  ruinous  effects  of  oxydation. 

T'm  has  an  advantage  over  iron  in  its  lightness,  and  con- 
sequently not  requiring  so  heavy  a  frame  of  roof.  But  tin 
is  perishable  by  oxydation. 

Zinc  answers  the  same  purpose  as  tin,  being  objectionable, 
however,  from  the  fact  that  it  will  become  liable  to  minute 
pores,  which  can  not  be  very  easily  guarded  against;  and, 
moreover,  there  is  not  yet  known  any  effective  composition 
of  solder  to  use  with  it,  where  joints  require  closing. 

Shingles  are  the  lightest,  as  well  as  the  cheapest  (at  least 
for  a  limited  time)  material  yet  found.  But  they  are  very 
dangerous,  as  being  so  combustible.  This  latter  objection 
might  be  remedied  by  dipping  each  shingle  into  a  solution 
of  potash  and  salt,  previous  to  using. 

The  receipt  given  in  the  preceding  specification  for  a 
composition  roof,  is  well  adapted  to  all  buildings;  and, 
although  costing  somewhat  more  than  shingles,  is  yet  more 
economical,  from  the  fact  of  its  extreme  durability. 

This  subject  of  covering  for  roofs  of  churches  is  well 
worthy  of  serious  consideration,  as  it  is,  after  all,  the  one 
which  truly  defends  all  others  from  the  effects  of  time  and 
climate. 

The  ridge  of  the  roof  should  be  protected  by  a  course  of 
saddle-tiles  to  cover  the  meeting  line  of  the  opposite  and 
uppermost  courses.  These  should  be  well  bedded  in  cement, 
and  made  perfectly  secure,  as  the  crowning  of  the  roof. 


CHURCH   ARCHITECTURE.  37 

Ventilators.  In  each  gable  there  should  be  an  ope  or 
aperture  through  which  the  air  may  find  access  to  the 
timbers  of  the  roof,  and  the  exhajation  from  the  ventilators 
in  the  ceiling  be  permitted  to  escape. 

The  ceiling  should  have  a  sufficient  number  of  ventilators 
to  keep  the  atmosphere  of  the  church  pure,  even  when  a 
congregation  fills  the  building  to  its  utmost  capacity.  In 
the  same  manner  the  admission  of  pure  air  should  be  attended 
to.  The  registered  pipes  or  conductors  for  this  purpose 
should  open  in  the  church  at  about  four  feet  from  the  floor- 
line,  and  the  sill  of  each  window  would  be  a  very  proper 
place  to  insert  them.  By  this  arrangement,  the  extremities 
of  the  person  will  not  be  made  cold,  while  the  admission  of 
pure  air  drives  oiF  the  breath  exhaled. 

Heating.  As  we  have  in  a  pre\'ious  part  of  this  work 
spoken  of  the  necessity  for  having  a  church  heated  from 
beneath  the  flooring,  we  will  now  only  specify  the  most 
proper  mode  of  executing  the  necessary  work. 

The  Htpocaust.  This  generator  of  heat,  which  is  no 
other  than  a  basement  furnace  under  a  Greek  title,  is  perhaps 
the  best  of  all  agents  for  transmitting  heat  to  a  Church.  It 
is  formed  much  on  the  plan  of  a  baker's  oven,  with  the  addi- 
tion of  a  metal  chamber  for  hot-air  in  the  center  of  it. 
From  this  latter  the  heated  air  is  carried  to  the  building 
in  pipes  diversely  directed  so  as  to  send  a  supply  above 
to  every  part. 

As  hot  air  expands  wonderfully,  it  will  be  necessary  to 
have  the  cold  air  pipe  which  shall  supply  this  chamber 
proportionately  small. 


38  CHURCH   ARCHITECTURE. 

Where  the  hot-air  pipes  are  to  enter  the  floor  of  the 
Church,  a  square  flag  pierced  in  the  middle  is  to  be  set, 
with  a  register  to    regulate   the  supply  of  heat  required. 

A  hot-air  pipe  should  be  conducted  to  the  pulpit,  hav- 
ing a  register  for  the  comfort  of  the  officiating  clergyman. 

Provision  should  be  made  in  the  building  of  the  end  or 
gable  wall  to  carry  up  a  flue  8  by  16  inches,  to  convey 
away  the  smoke  from  the  hypocaust. 


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CHURCH   ARCHITECTURE.  39 


PRIMITIVE  GOTHIC  STYLE. 

The  accompanying  illustration  is  in  some  respects  most 
desirable  for  a  congregation  whose  means  are  small.  A 
very  great  advantage  will  be  found  in  the  facility  of  egress 
through  the  doorways. 

On  the  whole  this  design  commends  itself  to  favor  by  its 
simplicity  of  effect,  and  absence  of  any  thing  which  might 
entail  expenditure. 

The  roof  is  what  is  termed  hammer  beam,  and,  well  con- 
structed, must  produce  a  pleasing  feeling  in  the  observer. 

The  walls  may  be  executed  in  any  material;  but  probably 
rubble  masonry  would  be  the  most  suitable. 

Specification. 

The  foundations  are  to  be  laid  as  before  stated  for  the  pre- 
ceding designs,  or  to  be  built  of  rubble  masonry.  In  the 
latter  case  it  would  be  well  to  make  a  grout  of  coarse  sand, 
water-lime,  and  common  lime,  and  pour  it  on  over  each 
course  of  dry  masonry.  The  grout  must  be  moderately 
thick.  The  corner-stone  and  basement  are  to  be  laid  in 
cement,  to  about  twenty  inches  above  ground. 

A  bare  course  of  hammered  stone,  8  inches  deep  on  the 
face,  is  now  to  be  set  around  the  building,  projecting  two 


40  CHURCH   ARCHITECTURE. 

and  a  half  inches  beyond  the  face  of  the  basement,  and 
slightly  chamfered  on  its  upper  edge. 

The  superstructure  may  be  eighteen  inches  thick. 

The  sills  and  caps  of  windows  and  doors  to  be  hammer- 
dressed  the  same  as  the  base-course. 

The  windows  on  sides  are  to  have  Gothic  heads,  similar 
to  those  of  the  ujiper  section  of  front  elevation. 

The  roof  is  to  be  composed  of  sections  ten  feet  apart 
from  each  other.  These  sections  are  formed  of  one-inch 
plank  spiked  together  in  layers  when  cut  into  shape.  All 
these  are  to  be  nine  inches  thick,  and  of  the  other  dimen- 
sions shown  on  the  section. 

The  first  pattern  being  cut  out,  there  is  no  trouble  in 
multiplying  the  forms  until  the  necessary  thicknesses  are 
obtained.  The  rafters  are  to  be  eighteen  inches  apart  from 
center  to  center. 

The  boarding  of  this  roof  is  to  be  planed  on  the  under- 
side, matched,  grooved,  and  tongued. 

When  the  joijiery  work  is  completed,  the  principals,  raf- 
ters, and  roof-boarding,  are  all  to  be  painted  two  coats,  and 
finished  with  oak  color. 

The  window  and  sash  frames,  the  pulpit  and  pews,  and 
in  fine,  all  the  joinery  in  the  church,  to  be  painted  the  same 
color.     The  pulpit,  pews,  and  doors,  are  to  be  grained. 


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CHURCH   ARCHITECTURE.  41' 


POINTED  STYLE. 

We  have  given  several  illustrations  of  this  truly  eccle- 
siastic style  of  Architecture ;  and  must  leave  to  the  taste  or 
peculiar  requirements  of  our  readers  to  select  from  them 
as  their  judgment  may  dictate. 

Any  one  of  them  would  look  v^ell  in  a  smart  village ;  and, 
none  of  them  would  cost  extravagantly  for  the  erection, 
unless  indeed  cut  stone  might  be  chosen  as  the  material. 
Brick-work  well  cemented,  and  having  the  hoods,  molding, 
and  various  details  of  ornamentation  executed  in  cast  iron, 
would  present  a  very  desirable  appearance ;  at  the  same  time 
being  economical,  from  the  fact  that  our  foundiies  now  keep 
such  castings  on  hand,  there  being  a  constant  requisition 
for  them. 

The  specification  already  given  will  answer  for  each  of  the 
designs,  as  any  intelligent  builder  (and  to  such  alone  should 
the  contract  be  given,)  will  easily  form  an  opinion  as  to  the 
necessary  work  to  be  done  in  erecting  it. 


As  these  designs  are  made  to  an  accurate  scale  of  parts, 
there  can  be  very  little  trouble  encountered  in  finding  the 
"quantities"  of  material  or  workmanship  in  their  execution. 
In  order,  however,  to  assist  the  judgment  of  the  mechanic 
in  making  his  estimate,  we  have  given  the  calculations  at 


42  CHURCH    ARCHITECTURE. 

the  end  of  this  book.  To  those  quantities  there  laid  down, 
the  builder  need  only  put  the  price  of  his  local  market. 
The  labor  he  can  best  judge  of  himself,  as  some  mechanics 
will  do  half  again  as  much  work  in  a  stated  time  as  others; 
add  to  which  the  difficulty  of  deciding  on  an  average  of 
wages  for  the  length  and  breadth  of  this  country. 


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PARSONAGES. 


It  is  the  very  natural  desire  of  a  religious  community  to 
whom  their  good  Minister  is  endeared  by  his  heavenly  labors, 
that  he  at  least  should  be  well  cared  for,  and  that  the  elegant 
appearance  of  the  church  should  not  rebuke  the  neglect  of 
the  home  of  its  pastor. 

Next,  then,  in  consideration  to  the  Church  should  come  the 
Parsonage  ;  and  it  would  seem  reasonable  that  the  style  of 
architecture  should  be  the  same  in  these  kindred  designs. 
They  should  be,  if  possible,  near  to  each  other,  and  a  certain 
unity  exist  between  them,  so  that  the  stranger  shall  have  no 
difficulty  in  noting  the  one  any  more  than  the  other ;  but,  in 
speaking  of  the  Church,  be  also  able  to  tell  where 

"The  village  Preacher's  modest  mansion  rose." 

The  Parsonage  should  stand  on  or  near  to  the  church  lot; 
and  no  church  can  convey  a  perfect  idea  to  the  mind  of  its 
completeness  where  the  dwelling  of  the  clergyman  is  not 
near  it ;  or,  as  is  too  often  the  case  in  our  country  villages, 
is  altogether  remote  from  it.  There  is  an  unaccountable 
dreariness  in  the  sight,  akin  to  the  feeling  produced  by  the 
appearance  of  a  tenantless  palace,  or  a  noble  fortification 
without  a  sentinel  within  hail — a  ward  without  a  warder. 


44  PARSONAGES. 

No:  such  should  not  be  the  case.  The  man  of  prayer 
Bhould  be  close  to  the  house  of  prayer.  His  eye  should  be 
on  his  master's  mansion;  and  the  same  flowers  that  bedecked 
his  own  parterre  should  lend  their  fragrance  and  their 
beauty  to  the  surrounding  of  the  holy  temple  of  his  care 
and  love. 


PARSONAGES.  0 


GENERAL  SPECIFICATION. 

The  dimensions  of  the  plans  herewith  given  are  alike  in 
all  respects ;  and  therefore  one  specification  will  be  sufficient 
for  all.  Thus,  the  foundations,  if  of  concrete,  will  be  alike 
in  proportions.  If  of  stone,  the  same  directions  answer ; 
and  so  on  through  all  the  various  parts  of  the  construction. 

Cellar  Basements. 

For  the  same  reasons  which  we  have  already  given  in  the 
Economic  Cottage  Builder,  we  now  strongly  oppose  the  use 
of  basements  for  dwelling  purposes.  It  is  true  that  they  are 
very  useful,  and  certainly  secure  a  very  great  economy  of 
space.  But,  in  case  they  are  required,  the  following  cautions 
must  be  strictly  observed :  the  floor  over  the  cellar  must  be 
made  close  and  thoroughly  impervious  to  the  escape  of  any 
air  from  below.  No  trap  or  opening  should  be  allowed 
within  doors.  The  bottom  of  the  cellar  should  be  overlaid 
with  cement  of  such  quality  as  to  be  perfectly  resistant  of 
wet,  and  at  the  same  time  durable.  Ventilating  flues  should 
be  provided  for  the  use  of  such  basement  cellars,  that  they 
may  be  kept  as  pure  as  possible.  But,  on  no  account  should 
vegetable  matter  be  stored  in  them :  such  a  practice  proving 
nvariably  prejudicial  to  health. 
Basement  walls,  from  the  foundation  up,  should  be  well 


46  PARSONAGES. 

laid  in  cement,  as  much  if  not  all  of  the  damp  in  upper 
walls  of  houses  is  attributable  entirely  to  this  fact :  that  the 
wet  penetrating  the  basement  wall  is  by  capillary  attrac- 
tion drawn  upward,  and  finds  its  way  at  once  into  the  plas- 
ter, if  the  walls  be  not  studded,  and  if  they  are  studded,  the 
studs  themselves  will  in  due  course  of  time  decay  and  ruin 
the  plaster. 

In  laying  the  flooring  joists,  it  would  be  well  to  board 
the  under  side,  and  fill  in  with  saw-dust  of  cedar,  before 
laying  down  the  flooring  boards. 

The  flooring  boarding  should  be  sound,  free  from  knots, 
shakes,  and  other  defects ;  and  the  whole  floor  be  laid  in  nar- 
row breadths,  (not  exceeding  seven  inches,)  tongued  and 
grooved. 

Thus  will  a  perfect  floor  be  formed  through  which  the 
scouring-water  can  not  find  its  way ;  and  one  in  every  other 
respect  superior  to  those  floors  which  are  laid  with  a  view 
to  their  being  hidden  by  covering  of  carpet,  or  oil-cloth. 

And  here  we  would  observe  that,  as  Parsonages  are 
intended  to  be  durable  structures,  they  are  necessarily  to  be 
built  of  as  sound  materials,  and  in  as  workmanlike  a  manner 
as  the  church  itself. 

la  fact,  this  appendage  of  the  church  should  be  con- 
strutted  of  the  same  material.  Thus,  if  the  Church  be  of 
stone,  brick,  or  wood,  of  such  let  the  Parsonage  also  be 
built. 

In  the  following  pages,  we  will  treat  of  the  construction 
i^  each  material. 


PARSONAGES.  47 


CONSTRUCTED  IN  WOOD. 

We  will  now  take  any  of  the  accompanying  designs  for 
Parsonages,  and  treat  of  it  as  supposed  to  built  be  solely 
of  wood. 

The  foundations  are  to  be  formed,  digging  holes  two  feet 
square,  and  one  foot  and  a  half  deep,  at  equal  distances 
from  each  other;  say  five  feet  apart,  all  around  the  main 
wall's  plan,  as  marked  out  upon  the  ground  previously,  and 
truly  squared. 

In  the  center  of  each  of  these  holes,  drive  down  cedar 
posts  sharpened  at  their  lower  end,  and  charred  over  a  fire. 
These  may  be  driven  five  feet  deep,  from  the  surface  line  of 
the  ground.  Each  post  to  be  not  less  than  eight  inches  in 
diameter. 

All  the  cedar  posts  being  driven  down  to  their  allotted 
depth,  the  level  of  the  whole  is  to  be  next  ascertained  by 
means  of  a  true  spirit  or  water  level,  and  the  tops  of  the 
posts  squared  in  accordance  with  the  line  thus  obtained. 

The  main  sill  of  the  house  may  now  be  placed  on  the 
foundation  posts,  boring  it  directly  over  the  center  of  each, 
and  driving  down  a  stout,  w^ell-seasoned  oak  pin,  eighteen 
inches  long,  and  two  inches  square. 

This  sill  may  be  10  by  12,  or  even  8  by  10,  but  it  is  desi- 
rable to  choose  the  former  dimensions,  as  the  strength  of  the 


^  PARSONAGES. 

building  is  governed,  in  a  very  great  measure,  by  the  capa- 
bility of  this  first  and  principal  member  of  the  construction. 

The  framed  sill  being  now  securely  pinned  down  and 
leveled,  the  next  operation  is  to  fill  up  the  square  holes 
with  concrete,  tightly  packed,  and  all  is  complete,  as  far  as 
the  foundation  is  concerned. 

In  case  a  cellar  is  required  under  the  house,  it  will  be 
necessary  to  have  it  in  the  rear,  raising  the  floor  immedi- 
ately over  it  some  two  or  three  feet;  leaving  four  feet  below 
the  level  of  the  ground,  or  perhaps  four  feet  six  inches,  so 
as  to  obtain  a  cellar  of  over  six  feet  high.  Where  this 
cellar  is  located,  the  cedar  posts  of  foundation  should  be 
double  boarded  with  two  inch  hemlock,  from  post  to  post, 
and  the  sj)ace  between  filled  in  with  tan-bark,  sand,  or  any 
fitting  material  which  can  be  conveniently  procured. 

The  door  of  such  cellar  should,  for  reasons  already  given, 
be  on  the  outside  of  the  main  building,  as,  for  instance,  in 
the  woodshed. 

There  should  be  a  win  Jo  w  provided  for  it,  and  as  much 
means  of  ventilation  secured  as  possible. 

But  here,  as  in  the  work  on  "Cottage  Building,"  we 
would  most  strongly  urge  the  far  more  healthful  plan  of 
building  out-of-door  cellars  —  distinct  structures,  neighbor- 
ing to,  and,  perhaps,  attached  by  a  covered  passage  to  the 
Parsonage.  Such  may  be  constructed  of  hemlock  plank, 
surrounded  by  a  solid  embankment  of  earth ;  or,  it  may  be 
built  altogether  of  sun-dried  brick,  composed  of  mois- 
tened earth,  with  straw,  or  hay,  worked  into  it,  and  cast 
in  a  mold  formed  like  a  box,  without  top  or  bottom.     Each 


PARSONAGES.  49 

of  these  bricks  to  be  IS  in.  by  12  in.  by  6  in.,  and  left  in 
the  air  to  harden,  for  two  or  three  weeks. 

Or,  the  cellar  may  be  built  of  the  same  material  as  that 
just  mentioned,  piled  up  into  one  solid  wall,  without  mold- 
ing into  bricks,  and  be  afterward  faced,  by  cutting,  or 
raking  down  and  going  over  it,  inside  and  out,  with  a 
smooth  board,  or  a  plasterer's  float. 

The  flooring  joists  of  Parsonages,  for  the  first,  or  princi- 
pal floor,  should  be  10  in.  by  2^  in.,  and  placed  at  twelve 
inches  from  center  to  center.  They  should  be  sound,  per- 
fectly free  from  sap,  shakes,  or  defects  prejudicial  to  their 
strength  or  durability. 

The  joists  in  w^ooden  buildings  should  always  be  long 
enough  to  admit  of  the  boarding  outside  being  nailed  to 
their  ends;  for  which  purpose,  those  ends  should  be 
carefully  squared. 

The  flooring-boarding  should  be  loosely  laid,  bottom  side 
up,  until  the  plastering  of  ceilings  and  walls  is  finished,  set- 
ting down  and  nailing  only  the  boards  next  to  walls.  This 
precaution  will  save  a  great  deal  of  future  trouble.  But 
the  plastering  must  be  perfectly  hard  before  the  final  ham- 
mering down  of  the  flooring-boards  shall  take  place.  And 
here  it  would  be  in  place  to  remark,  that  screws  instead  of 
nails  would  be  a  great  improvement  in  floor  laying ;  insert- 
ing a  screw  at,  say,  every  third  or  fourth  joist,  and  instead 
of  keeping  one  straight  line,  let  the  screw-heads  form  diag- 
onal lines,  along  the  floor.  Thus,  hammering  will  be 
avoided,  and  the  floor  be  fully  strong  enough,  at  a  trifling 
extra  cost  over  that  of  nails. 
4 


50  PARSONAGES. 

I 

Here,  it  may  also  be  observed,  that  the  skirting,  or  wash- 
board, should  be  nailed  on  before  the  flooring  boards  are 
laid,  so  that  the  latter  may  be  tongued  into  it;  thus  avoid- 
ing the  too  constantly  appearing  bad  consequences  of  shrink- 
age of  the  skirting,  where  it  rests  upon  the  floor;  and  the 
admission  of  cold  air,  insects,  etc.,  through  the  gap. 

The  flooring  boards  should  not  be  less  than  an  inch  and  a 
quarter  thick,  when  finished.  They  should  invariably  be 
tongued  and  grooved,  free  from  knots,  shakes,  sap,  or  splits. 

The  boards  for  walls  should  be  planed  on  the  outside. 
They  should  be  1^  inch  thick,  well  seasoned,  sound  pine 
lumber,  similar  to  the  flooring  just  spoken  of;  well  matched, 
tongued  and  grooved. 

The  grooves  are  to  receive  a  coat  of  white-lead  before  the 
tongues  enter  them.  When  joined  and  nailed  home,  the 
joints  are  to  receive  a  coat  of  white-lead,  and  the  battens 
or  slips  to  be  set  over  them,  while  this  coat  is  moist.  The 
joints  will  thus  be  perfectly  free  from  the  chance  intrusion 
of  damp  or  air. 

These  battens,  slips,  or  slats,  should  be  one  inch  and  a 
half  thick,  the  same  as  the  boarding,  and  may,  in  fact,  be 
such  boards  sawed  up  into  breadths  of  two  and  a  half 
inches. 

Now  we  have  arrived  at  a  question  which  must  be  deci- 
ded by  the  reader.  Which  does  he  choose :  independent 
studs  for  the  inside  plastering,  or  letting  the  battening  of 
the  joists  inside  act  as  studs  for  the  same  purpose?  The 
former  is,  of  course,  the  more  expensive;  but  it  is  the 
strongest  by  far,  and  the  most  reliable  for  a  house  of  more 
than  one  story. 


PARSONAGES.  61 

By  adopting  it,  there  will  be  a  necessity  for  a  frame ;  the 
upright  timbers  of  which  must  be  similar  in  width  to  the 
ribs  and  caps. 

The  door  and  window  jambs  must,  likewise,  be  wide 
enough  to  clear  the  studs  for  lathing,  which  are  to  be  nailed 
on  to  those  ribs  and  caps. 

The  quoins,  or  corner  posts,  must  be  square-grooved  on 
their  inside  angle,  so  as  to  take  the  lathings. 

The  cheaper  method  is,  simply  to  counter  cover  the  joints 
of  siding  or  boarding  with  studs,  which  shall  take  the  lath- 
ing— the  corners  having  a  double  stud,  square  grooved,  as 
in  the  former  case.  The  windows  and  doors  should  like- 
wise have  double  studs,  in  order  to  strengthen  the  construc- 
tion, as  well  as  to  give  the  appearance  of  solidity. 

Such  windows  and  doors  should  have  broad  facings — say 
4  inches  broad — on  the  outside.  On  these,  fancy  ornamen- 
tal buttons,  turned  for  that  purpose,  may  be  spiked.  Such 
facing  need  not  protrude  beyond  the  wall  more  than  the 
thickness  of  the  neighboring  battens. 

The  angles  of  the  battens  should  be  beveled  off;  and,  in 
some  cases,  the  facings  may  be  so  treated  with  good  effect. 

The  caps  and  sills  of  windows  and  doors  should  have 
grooves  for  the  passage  of  rain-water  on  their  under  surface, 
to  prevent  the  access  of  wet  to  the  building,  by  causing 
a  drip. 

In  the  putting  on  of  the  roof,  it  would  be  well  to  haft  the 
rafters  down  on  the  ends  of  the  boards,  or  planks,  thus: 
where  the  rafter  meets  the  wall,  cut  or  notch  a  sufficient 
piece  out  of  the  rafter,  of  the  same  width  as  the  thickness 
of  the  plank — that  is,  IJ  inches. 


52  PARSONAGES. 

These  rafters  should  be  five  inches  by  three,  or  two  and  a 
half.  They  should  be  notched  into  each  other  at  the  top, 
and  be  securely  spiked.  One  foot  six  inches  from  center  to 
center  should  be  their  position. 

When  the  rafters  are  duly  laid,  they  should  be  very  care- 
fully boarded  with  hemlock  boards,  half  or  three-quarter 
inch  thick,  matched,  and  free  from  holes  or  fractures. 

The  roofing  cover  may  be  of  shingle,  tin,  or  tarred  paper. 
The  latter  will  be  found  a  very  good  description  of  cover 
for  a  light  roof,  such  as  this  mode  of  building  actually  de- 
mands. It  is  more  permanent  than  either  tin  or  shingles, 
without  being  as  costly. 

We  have  already  described  the  method  of  making  and 
putting  on  the  composition,  and  would  here  strongly 
recommend  its  use,  more  particularly  in  case  the  Church  to 
which  this  Parsonage  belongs  is  covered  with  the  same. 

The  chimney  in  a  wooden  house  must  be  of  brick,  with  a 
stone  foundation,  if  fireplaces  are  called  for. 

In  case  stoves  alone  are  used,  it  will  only  be  necessary  to 
erect  a  shaft  which  may  be  sustained  by  the  flooring-joists, 
or  in  some  cases,  by  upright  pieces  of  seasoned  oak.  In  the 
latter  case,  the  space  thus  included  might  be  inclosed,  and 
made  to  answer  for  lockers  or  cupboards. 

It  would  be  very  desirable  to  have  two-coat  work  and 
hard-finish  for  the  plastering  of  both  walls  and  ceilings,  as 
the  unavoidable  jars  which  this  class  of  dwellings  is  liable 
to,  can  not  be  too  well  guarded  against. 

The  glass  used  in  windows  should  be  the  best  double- 
cylinder,  free  from  all  blemishes.  Weak,  imperfect  glass,  is 
anything  but  an  article  of  economy. 


PARSONAGES.  fl3 

The  window-sashes  into  which  it  is  set  should  be  well 
made,  close  jointed,  and  of  the  most  unexceptionable 
seasoned  stuff. 

The  doors  should  be  all  four-paneled,  inch  and  a  half 
thick,  set  upon  strong  butt  hinges,  and  have  handsome  ball 
furniture  for  the  principal  rooms,  and  iron  thumb-latches 
and  bolts  for  all  other  apartments. 

The  walls,  if  to  be  painted,  should  first  be  allowed  to  dry, 
and  then  receive  a  coat  of  oil  priming,  on  which,  when  dry, 
the  color  coat  is  to  be  evenly  laid,  and  the  whole  surface 
gone  over  with  a  blender. 

In  case  fresco  is  thought  sufficient,  it  is  only  necessary  to 
dissolve  glue  or  size  in  the  required  quantity  of  water,  and 
when  it  is  moderately  adhesive,  pour  in  the  chosen  color  in 
dry  powder,  taking  care  not  to  use  white-lead  for  white,  but 
whiting. 


54  PARSONAGES. 


CONSTRUCTION  IN  STONE. 

The  Church  being  built  in  stone,  it  would  be  very  desira- 
ble to  construct  the  Parsonage  in  the  like  material.  In  such 
case,  the  outer  dimensions  shown  on  plan  must  be  enlarged 
sufficiently  to  admit  of  the  increased  width  of  walls. 

The  foundations  must  be  sunk  to  a  sufficient  depth  to 
insure  stability  for  the  superstructure,  and  to  guard  against 
the  possibility  of  settlement  hereafter. 

These  foundations,  together  with  the  basement  walls  on 
them,  should  be  laid  in  cement,  and  be  well  bonded. 

If  a  basement  cellar  be  required,  the  floor  of  it  should 
not  be  below  the  surface,  or  main  level  of  ground,  moro 
than  two  feet  six  inches. 

The  floor  of  this  basement  cellar  should  be  formed  of 
composition,  at  least  four  inches  thick,  made  of  water-lime, 
sand  and  gravel,  in  proportions  of  one  of  water-lime,  two 
of  sand,  and  three  of  gravel,  evenly  laid  on  and  left  to 
harden. 

The  walls  of  the  cellar  may  likewise  be  plastered  inside 
with  water-lime. 

The  superstructure  should  be  built  of  sound  rubble 
masonry,  well  bonded  and  cemented  together  with  stiff 
mortarj  made  of  common-lime  and  sand  well  slaked,  soured, 


PARSONAGES.  55 

and  worked  up  together  in  such  quantities  only  as  may  be 
required  for  immediate  use. 

Wall-timbers  should  be  inserted  where  wanted  to  take 
the  firring  for  lath  and  plastering. 

The  openings  for  windows  and  doors  should  have  brick 
trimmer-arches  turned  over  them  ;  and  the  flues  and  shafts 
of  chimneys  should  be  formed  of  brick  also. 

A  substantial  wall-plate,  6  by  4,  should  be  laid  upon  the 
walls,  and  be  securely  framed  at  angles.  The  principal 
rafters  may  be  notched  on  to  this  wall-plate,  and  spiked 
down. 

In  all  other  respects,  the  work  on  a  stone  structure  is 
similar  to  that  on  a  wooden  one. 

It  would  be  highly  necessary  to  fir  out  tlie  wall  for 
plastering,  as   lime-stone  walls  are  very  apt  to  be  damp. 


56  PARSONAGES. 


CONSTRUCTION  IN  BRICK. 

.  This  excellent  material  is  always  desirable  where  it  can  be 
procured  at  a  moderate  expense.  It  has  an  advantage  over 
rubble  masonry  in  the  facility  with  which  square  moldings 
and  other  simple  ornaments,  as  well  as  pilasters,  may  be 
introduced  without  any  extra  charge  on  the  general  estimate. 

Brick,  when  sound,  is  the  most  acceptable  of  materials  for 
dwellings.  To  be  good  it  is  required  to  be  well  burned,  and 
free  from  lime ;  for,  should  the  latter  exist  in  the  brick,  the 
consequence  will  assuredly  be  the  bursting  of  it  when  the 
lime  becomes  slaked  with  rain-water. 

It  is  a  very  excellent  practice,  when  soundness  in  brick 
needs  assurance,  to  steep  as  many  in  water  as  may  be  re- 
quired for  work  from  hour  to  hour.  The  consequence  will 
then  be  that  the  lime,  if  it  be  there,  will  declare  its  presence 
in  the  action  of  the  water  upon  it. 

We  will  not  dilate  on  the  well  understood  practice  of 
brick-work,  but  leave  it  to  those  whose  practiced  hands 
can  do  it  more  justice  with  the  trowel,  than  we  can  here 
with  the  pen. 


SCHOOL  ARCHITECTURE. 


In  our  large  cities  the  construction  of  public  schools  is 
receiving  much  attention ;  and,  indeed,  it  is  most  desirable 
that  it  should,  for  these  are  the  nurseries  of  man,  where  the 
mind  is  not  alone  taught  to  grow,  and  to  expand,  but  the 
physical  requirements  to  sustain  that  growth  of  mind,  and 
develop  it  to  its  utmost,  have  there,  or  should  have,  their 
training.  What  a  curse  to  a  human  being  is  a  powerful 
mind,  dependent  on  a  fragile  constitution.  How  melancholy 
is  the  sight  of  a  brilliant  genius  wearing  out  its  poor  atten- 
uated human  column  with  its  very  power ;  a  lamp  whose 
burning  brightness  too  quickly  consumes  the  oil  of  its  exis- 
tence. And  how  true  it  is  that  in  many,  too  many  cases, 
this  very  incapability  is  produced  at  school,  and  firmly  rooted 
in  the  constitution.  Want  of  pure  air  is  the  certain  agent  of 
destruction  to  our  youth ;  and  of  all  places  its  terrible  effects 
are  more  potent  and  more  certain  in  the  school-room  than  in 
any  other,  because  of  the  mass  of  exhalation  from  so  many 
lungs,  some  already  diseased  and  pouring  forth  their  noxious 
vapors  to  be  inhaled  by  the  victups  around. 


58  SCHOOL    ARCHITECTURE. 

Yes,  our  public  schools  should  be  thoroughly  ventilated. 
The  church  is  occupied  but  for  a  few  hours  each  week;  not 
so  the  school  —  five  or  six  hours  a  day,  the  week,  the  month, 
the  year  round,  it  is  the  breathing  place  of  numbers.  Then, 
how  necessary  to  prevent  its  being  the  pest-house  of  grow- 
ing humanity — the  curse  instead  of  blessing  to  many  a 
fondly  anticipating  parent's  heart. 

Keep  the  school  house  free  from  damp — warm  in  winter, 
cool  in  summer;  but,  above  all,  let  it  be  thoroughly 
ventilated. 


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SCHOOL   ARCHITECTURE.  6^ 


CONSTRUCTION  IN  WOOD. 

The  design  here  given,  (No.  1,)  is  intended  for  those  lim- 
ited localities  where  comparatively  few  pupils  may  be 
expected  to  assemble  for  many  years.  The  structure  is 
therefore  supposed  to  be  very  economic,  at  the  same  time 
that  it  presents  every  facility  for  the  purpose  it  is  intended 
to  answer. 

This  school-room  is  arranged  with  distinct  sitting  places 
for  the  males  and  females;  and  with  separate  entrances  also. 

The  cost  of  construction  would  be  reasonable,  whether 
the  material  were  of  stone,  brick,  or  wood. 

It  could,  in  a  thickly  timbered  locality,  be  constructed  of 
hewn  logs,  and  yet,  with  very  little  extra  cost,  be  made  to 
look  well. 

The  foundation  should  be  pennanently  built,  and  the  walls 
be  well  keyed  together.  The  spaces  between  flooring-joists 
should  be  filled  in  with  concrete ;  the  flooring  being  not 
less  than  an  inch  and  a  half  thick,  sound,  and  well  nailed 
down. 

The  windows  may  either  slide  back  upon  each  other,  or 
be  on  pivots  placed  at  the  center.  This  latter  is  the  simpler 
plan,  and  is  not  objectionable  in  frosty  weather,  as  the 
former  is. 


eJ€M  SCHOOL   ARCHITECTURE. 

The  chimney  flue  is  to  be  built  on  the  ceiling  joists,  and 
rise  in  the  center  of  the  school.     It  must  be  of  brick. 

The  ceiling  joists  are  to  be  8  by  2,  and  18  inches  from 
center  to  center.  Where  the  flue  is  to  rise  they  are  to  be 
bridged  firmly,  and  a  flag-stone  is  to  be  set  on  them,  at 
least  five  inches  wider  on  each  side  than  the  chimney  flue. 
This  is  a  precaution  against  accidents  by  fire. 

The  roof  will  be  square  hipped,  the  collars  answering  for 
the  ceiling-joists.  Around  chimney-flue  at  apex  of  roof, 
there  must  be  a  frame  to  receive  the  rafters ;  and  this  framp 
must  be  well  secured  by  perpendicular  pieces  to  the  ceiling 
joists,  so  as  to  help  to  hold  up  the  latter.  Straps  of  iron 
should  be  used  at  the  angles,  above  and  below. 


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SCHOOL   ARCHITECTURE.  61 


CONSTRUCTION  NO.  2. 

AVERAGE  ESTIMATE,  |600. 

Here  is  a  neat  and  tasteful  style  of  village  school  for 
males  and  females,  which  can  be  built  of  any  material. 
The  convenience  of  wardrobes  is  here  presented,  and  the 
general  arrangement  of  plan  will  be  found  desirable,  the 
two  schools  being  wholly  distinct,  though  under  one  roof. 

The  ornamentation  is  cheap,  yet  effective ;  the  facia-boards 
over  gables  of  porches  being  of  inch  and  a  half  hemlock; 
the  buttons  to  be  of  turned  oak,  spiked  on.  The  doors 
may  likewise  have  these  buttons  ornamented,  as  shown  on 
elevation. 


C2  SCHOOL  ARCHITECTURE. 


CONSTRUCTION  NO.  3. 

'  AVERAGE  ESTIMATE,  $320. 

This  design  is  unique  in  shape,  but  in  the  execution  of  it 
the  preceding  directions  will  be  found  to  answer.  The 
internal  arrangement  may  differ  from  that  here  given ;  and, 
instead  of  placing  the  Master's  desk,  a,  at  the  center,  the 
stove  may  occupy  that  place,  and  a  platform  for  the  Master 
be  erected  at  h. 

It  is  also  suggested,  that  in  case  the  lecture-board  is 
required,  one  of  the  rear  windows  be  built  a  blank  for  that 
purpose. 

The  scholars'  seats  may,  of  course,  be  placed  as  deemed 
most  desirable. 


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CONSTRUCTION  NO.  4. 

AVERAGE  ESTIMATE,  $700. 

The  design  is  proposed  for  a  large  district,  say  a  village, 
where  a  second  story  may  be  required  for  lecture-room,  or 
divided  for  recitation-rooms.  But  the  proposition  we  inten- 
ded was  to  have  the  master  (if  a  married  man)  live  above 
the  scliool.  It  is  very  obvious  that  many  advantages  would 
arise  from  this  arrangement,  as  rent  being  saved  to  the 
teachers,  it  would  induce  competent  married  couple?  to 
undertake  the  conducting  of  male  and  female  departments ; 
and  being  constantly  on  the  premises,  more  vigilance  and 
care  would,  of  course,  be  exercised.  This  building  is  esti- 
mated as  constructed  of  frame;  but  any  material  may  be 
used. 


€4  SCHOOL   ARCHITECTURE. 


CONSTRUCTION  NO.  5. 

AVERAGE  ESTIMATE,  $900. 

This  is  a  domestic  Gothic  design,  which  will  present  a 
very  harmonious  effect,  in  a  rural  location. 

As  in  a  former  construction,  we  intended  this  for  the  ac- 
commodation of  the  teacher's  family  in  the  second  story, 
and  would  here  again  urge  the  necessity  for  such  an  arrange- 
ment, thus  saving  those  incumbents  from  the  too-frequent 
annoyance  of  boarding  around,  or  hiring  indifferent  lodgings 
at  every  inconvenience.  The  structure  under  consideration 
is  one  which  only  requires  a  due  regard  to  taste  to  make  it 
all  that  is  desirable. 

The  estimate  above  quoted  is  founded  on  the  supposition 
that  the  work  be  executed  in  frame,  sided,  and  thrice 
coated  in  goo  I  oil  color. 


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SCHOOL    ARCHITECTURE.  65 


1 


CONSTRUCTION  NO.  6. 

a\t:rage  estimate,  $3,260. 


The  Semiuary  here  presented  is  adapted .  to  the  wants  of 
towns  of  eight  or  ten  thousand  inhabitants.  Its  center  is 
occupied  by  a  hall  with  entrances  to  the  schools  of  males 
and  females,  for  the  use  of  the  teachers.  In  this  hall  is  a 
staircase  which  leads  to  the  recitation  apartments,  or  lec- 
ture-room above. 

The  schools  are  each  arranged  on  a  semi-circular  plan; 
the  passages  to  the  seats  radiating  to  the  center.  There 
may  be,  of  course,  as  many  of  these  passages  as  desirable. 
Some  teachers  being  anxious  to  have  but  two  scholars  at 
one  desk,  while  some  again  think  one  enough.  It  will  per- 
haps be  the  desire  of  the  trustees,  however,  to  seat  as  niany 
as  possible  ;  and  for  that  reason  we  have  given  the  greatest 
number  of  seats,  with  dotted  lines,  to  show  where  extra 
passages  might  be  introduced,  without  greatly  diminishing 
the  general  accommodation. 

It  might  be  here  observed,  that  where  pupils  have  a  due 
amount  of  business,  and  the  master  occupies  so  commanding 
a  position  as  in  this  plan,  it  is  not  probable  that  there  can 
be  much  idling  in  the  school,  no  matter  how  close  the  sit- 
tings may  be. 

The  center  buildings  and  wings,  in  this  plan,  are  proposed 


66  SCHOOL    ARCHITECTURE. 

to  be  of  brick,  covered  with  cement  of  a  light-brown  tint ; 
and  for  such  the  estimate  has  been  made.  The  construction 
may  however  be  brick,  faced  vdth  cut  stone,  which  would, 
under  favorable  circumstances,  add  a  little  over  one-third 
to  the  cost  already  stated. 

It  is  proposed  to  have  sky-lights  in  the  schools  —  and  they 
would  indeed  be  very  desirable,  both  for  lighting  purposes 
and  ventilation;  the  windows  being  open  in  summer,  and 
the  doors  also,  a  complete  ventilation  would  be  the  con- 
sequence. 

The  roofing  of  this  construction  is  obvious ;  the  center 
being  an  ordinary  gabled  roof,  and  the  wings  having  their 
raftexs  spiked  to  the  wall-plates  and  converging  to  the  cen- 
ter shown  on  plan.  The  tops  of  the  rafters  to  be  framed 
into  the  sky-light  sill.  »t«  fcio 


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PARSONAGES.  67 


CONSTRUCTION  NO.  7. 

A  COLLEGlAf  Ifi '  Sljif 'fN'i'RY. '  AVERAGE "  ES'^iMA'Tfc,  $7,500. 

The  too-common  practice  in  erecting  this  class  of  superior 
schools  is  to  combine  all  required  apartments  undet  one' 
oblong  or  square  roof,  supported  by  lofty,  and  of  course  dull 
looking  walls.  There  is  no  excuse  for  a  continuance  of  this 
tediously  repeated  plan.  As  village  lots  are  cheap  enough 
to  afford  sufficient  frontage  to  produce  a  handsome  effect, 
there  is  no  economy  in  spoiling  what  might  and  should  be 
a  prominent  feature  in  the  locality. 

The  thorough  lighting,  and  ventilation,  in  a  building  of 
this  form,  must  command  attention;   and  the  distinctness  of ' ' 
class-rooms  have  a  due  weight  with  trustees.    Moreover,  the 
outside  appearance  would,  whatever  may  be  the  material 
used,  strike  the  eye  with  its  light  and  classic  elevation. 

The  above  estimate  is  calculated  for  a  brick  struckire, 
cemented. 


68  SCHOOL   ARCHITECTURE. 


CONSTRUCTION  NO.  8. 

A  CITY  PUBLIC  SCHOOL.  AVERAGE  ESTIMATE,  $9,300. 

The  desire  growing  up  among  our  city  school  districts  to 
have  buildings  of  more  pretension  than  those  heretofore 
erected,  gives  us  an  opportunity  to  offer  the  accompanying 
design. 

The  basement  is  calculated  to  be  erected  of  brick,  faced 
with  polished  red  marble,  on  the  front  only.  The  super- 
structure to  be  also  of  brick,  cemented  and  colored  two  or 
three  shades  lighter  than  the  marble. 

The  window-caps,  sills,  and  other  ornaments,  to  be  of  cast- 
iron. 

The  clock  tower  to  be  well  framed  on  inside,  brick  fronted, 
and  roofed  with  galvanized  iron,  richly  ornamented  with 
cast-iron  designs. 

The  interior  will  be  arranged,  of  course,  as  the  taste  or 
requirements  of  those  concerned  may  demand,  three  outside 
doors  giving  ample  access  and  means  of  egress. 


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SCHOOL   ARCHITECTURE.  69 


REMARKS  ON  SCHOOL  ARCHITECTURE. 

Although  we  have  refrained  from  saying  anything  on  the 
subjects  of  Heating  and  Ventilating,  in  giving  the  preceding 
distinct  review^  of  each  design,  we  would  nevertheless  wish 
to  impress  our  readers  with  the  absolute  necessity  for  the 
presence  of  both  those  great  agents  of  health,  in  the  build- 
ings just  spoken  of. 

Heat  can  always  be  most  efficiently  generated  below 
ground,  in  an  apparatus  constructed  or  introduced  for  such 
purpose. 

As  we  have  already  touched  on  this  subject,  when  treat- 
ing of  Church  Architecture,  it  is  here  unnecessary  to  repeat 
the  hints  there  given.  We  will,  however,  urge  the  advan- 
tage of  distributing  the  supply  of  heated  air  as  equally  as 
possible,  over  the  school,  by  distinct  tin  conductors  for  that 
purpose. 

There  are  many  of  our  country  districts,  in  which  the 
primitive  trustees  will  seriously  object  to  any  innovation  oh 
the  good  old-fashioned  box,  or  upright  stove.  To  such  we 
we  would  say :  If  you  set  any  value  on  sound  lungs  for  the 
children  under  your  care,  do  not  continue  the  use  of  these 
pernicious  stoves,  but  apply  your  thoughts  to  basement 
furnaces.  If  in  cities,  where  fuel  is  very  dear,  they  are 
esteemed  as  far  preferable  even  in  private  dwellings,  how 


70  SCHOOL  architecture;. 

much  more  desirable  should  they  not  be  in  villages  and  rural 
localities,  where  fuel  is  no  consideration. 

Ventilation  is  easily  supplied,  if  the  required  attention  be 
observed  at  the  time  when  the  building  is  in  its  commence- 
ment. For  this  purpose,  it  is  only  necessary  to  leave  a  par- 
allel space  of  about  10  inches  by  4,  in  the  front  and  rear 
walls,  at  about  3  feet  above  floor  line,  with  grated  openings 
on  the  outside,  and  regulating  register  within. 

Ventilators  should  also  be  placed  in  the  ceiling,  one  at 
each  corner  of  the  room,  ten  inches  in  diameter,  with  a  short, 
bent  funnel  of  tin  above,  to  prevent  dust  falling  from  the 
joists.  These  ceiling  ventilators  may  be  made  very  orna- 
mental, by  being  covered  with  a  tin  plate,  cut  or  perforated 
in  suitable  devices. 

Thus  a  supply  of  heat  and  pure  air,  as  well  as  the  escape 
of  foul  air,  are  all  provided  for  in  an  efficient,  and  at  the 
same  time,  economical  manner. 

The  walls  of  school-houses,  if  of  brick,  should  be  built 
hollow,  as  directed  in  a  former  chapter  of  this  work,  and  the 
plastering  should  then  be  put  on  the  wall  without  lathing. 
But  if  wood  is  the  material  of  the  walls,  the  lathing  may  be, 
without  firring,  on  the  wall,  and  the  plaster  be  laid  on  full 
thick. 

The  object  of  this  precaution  is,  to  prevent  the  ill-usage 
which  the  wall  covering  is  certain  to  receive,  if  the  lathing 
be  at  all  weak,  or  the  mischievous  genius  of  some  who  are 
to  be  found  in  all  schools,  can  by  any  possibility  pick  a 
hole  in  it. 
/      Indeed,  it  would  not  be  an  unnecessary  precaution  to 


■  SCHOOL   ARCHITECTURE.  71 

^Hvainscot  the  walls  from  the  floor-line  up  to  the  hight  of 
four  feet. 

The  lower  part  of  the  front  of  seats  should  be  boarded, 
and  the  back  from  the  seats  up,  be  likewise  boarded.  On 
this  back,  the  desk  for  the  next  seat  behind  should  rest. 
This  back  should  be  two  feet  six  inches  in  hight  from  the 
floor-line,  and  have  a  slight  fall  or  inclination  of,  say,  two 
and  a  half  inches. 

The  seat  should  not  be  less  than  ten  inches;  the  desk  not 
less  than  fifteen  inches  broad;  both  five-eighths  thick,  and 
stoutly  supported  by  stationary  trestles  not  over  four  feet 
apart. 

A  shelf  may  be  formed  under  each  desk,  to  enable  the 
scholars  to  put  away  their  property  in  safety. 

The  wood-work  of  all  kinds,  in  a  school-room,  should  be 
painted  drab  or  oak,  and  the  passages  or  alleys  have  their 
flooring  painted  also. 

The  object  to  be  gained  is,  the  making  a  lasting  impres- 
sion of  neatness  and  regularity,  which  are  as  necessary  to 
be  inducted  into  the  youthful  mind  as  any  intellectual  store. 
Such  an  acquirement  can  not  fail  of  making  the  growing 
generation  more  particular  about  those  matters,  the  neglect 
of  which,  in  after  life,  renders  them  uncomfortable. 

We  have  avoided,  in  the  majority  of  the  preceding  pages 
on  schools,  saying  any  thing  about  roofing,  or  rather  the 
requisite  covering  for  roofs. 

This  question  must  be  determined  by  the  peculiar  require- 
ments or  fancy  of  those  whose  judgment  must  be  consulted. 
But,  we  would  just  hint  that  the  roof  which  is  most  per- 


72  SCHOOL   AI^CHITECTURE. 

manent,  and  least  liable  to  destruction  by  fire,  is  the  one 
which  should  find  a  preference  always. 

The  manufacturing  of  such  a  roof  is  a  subject  already 
treated  of  elsewhere ;  but  it  may  be  necessary  to  state  here, 
that  plaster  of  lime  and  sand  put  on  boarding  to  the  thick- 
ness of  one  inch,  and  then  a  coat  of  tar,  sand,  and  chalk, 
one  inch  thick,  put  on  over  that,  and  well  beaten  with  spa- 
tulas or  flat  boards,  would  be  sure  to  make  a  roof  that 
would  prove  durable  and  impervious  to  the  weather,  as  well 
as  being  fire  proof. 


GENERAL  REVIEW. 


It  will  be  easy  for  any  mechanic  who  is  used  to  large 
works  to  take  up  and  carry  through  any  of  the  foregoing 
designs  of  Churches,  Parsonages,  and  Schools  —  the  ab- 
stracts of  estimates  just  given  being  for  the  use  of  such  of 
our  readers  as  are  desirous  of  obtaining  for  their  rural  local- 
ity a  tasteful  structure,  and  wishing  to  be  enabled  to  form 
an  idea  as  to  the  probable  cost. 

It  is  to  be  hoped  that  the  information  given  in  the  present 
work  will  prove  advantageous  to  all  such,  as  well  as  pleas- 
ing to  men  of  taste  generally,  who  study  the  beauty  and 
fitness  of  architecture  for  its  own  sake. 

The  more  highly  finished  designs  in  the  pointed  style  de- 
manding the  employment  of  the  well-experienced  builder, 
educated  in  his  profession,  we  see  no  object  for  entering  into 
the  detail  of  their  execution  in  a  general  work  like  the 
present.  But  should  those  designs  ever  give  a  sufficient 
hint  to  the  reader  to  lead  to  the  consummation  of  our  de- 
sire to  see  any  of  them  erected,  the  end  at  which  we  aimed 
will  have  been  happily  accomplished. 

To  the  mechanic  whose  task  it  may  be  to  carry  out  any 
part  of  the  ideas  put  forth  in  these  pages,  we  will  venture 
to  give  a  kindly  charge :  not  doubting,  at  the  same  time, 
that  his  love  of  perfect  workmanship  is  fully  as  great  as 
ours,  but  for  the  sake  of  that  art  which  we,  in  common  with 


74  GENERAL    REVIEW.  ^ 

all  who  study  it,  love  and  cherish  with  a  jealous  care.  Do 
not  suffer  the  dictation  of  ignorant  authority  or  parsimonious 
zeal  to  exercise  the  slightest  influence  on  your  better  judg- 
ment. Rather  relinquish  the  work  entirely  than  have  that 
work  pointed  at  in  derision,  when  better  taste,  and  a  clearer 
perception  of  the  rules  of  art,  guide  a  future  generation  to 
judge  more  minutely  than  the  present  too  defective  educa- 
tion in  architectural  knowledge  will  permit. 

The  simplest  ornament  has  its  peculiar  place  under  the 
parent  style  to  w^hich  it  belongs,  and  that  ornament  must 
be  so  rigidl}'^  portrayed  as  to  leave  no  doubt  as  to  its  origin 
and  its  object.  In  the  minutest  parts  be  correct,  and  the 
combined  whole  can  not  fail  of  rewarding  you. 

In  taking  leave  of  our  attractive  subject,  we  would  state 
that  if  the  patronage  of  our  present  book  be  sufficient  to 
incite  to  the  task,  we  will  gladly  reenter  on  the  work,  and 
add  another  feature  to  its  present  too  imperfect  outlines. 


LIGHTNING  CONDUCTORS. 


Every  building,  no  matter  what  its  size,  should  have  at 
least  one  lightning-rod  attached  to  its  highest  point.  Public 
edifices  should  never  be  without  them — too  many  fatal  ac- 
cidents having  occurred  from  the  want  of  this  most  necessary 
protection. 

Churches  should  be  furnished  with  powerful  conductors, 
secured  to  their  spire,  or  most  prominent  pinnacles  or  gable. 

Parsonages  should  have  them  attached  to  their  chimney 
shafts  as  well  as  on  the  barn.  j 

Schools  should  be  guarded  by  them,  likewise. 

The  space  protected  by  a  lightning  conductor,  or,  rather, 
'he  area  within  which  it  "v^dll  attract  the  electric  fluid,  is  sup- 
posed to  be  twenty-five  feet  all  around  it.  Lest,  however, 
this  might  prove,  in  some  unfortunate  instance,  a  badly 
founded  theory,  it  would  be  well  to  reduce  this  allowance  as 
much  as  possible,  as  precaution  is  doubtful,  if  not  taken  in 
its  fullest  availability. 

The  rod  should  be  three-eighths  of  an  inch  in  diameter,  of 
copper,  in  lengths  screwed  firmly  into  each  other,  and  the 
surfaces  presenting   not  the  slightest  impediment  to  the 


76  LIGHTNING  CONDUCTORS. 

course  of  the  fluid.  The  top  is  to  have  a  piece  screwed  on, 
having  a  point  upright,  and  three  points  bent  at  an  angle  of 
forty-five  degrees  toward  the  earth.  Those  points  to  be 
three  or  four  inches  long  each,  and  to  be  tipped  with  platina 
or  gold. 

In  constructing  the  top-piece  containing  the  points,  as 
just  spoken  of,  it  will  be  necessary  to  have  it  a  full  inch 
square,  splitting  the  required  four  points  to  be  bent  down, 
and  leaving  the  center  for  a  fifth  point,  standing.  Where  it 
IS  to  be  screwed  on  to  the  main  rod,  it  should  be  reduced  by 
cutting  or  filling,  until  flush  with  it. 

Where  copper  can  not  be  conveniently  had,  the  next  best 
material  for  a  rod  is  iron,  which  can  be  wrought  into  one 
length  by  welding,  and  proceed  as  above  directed  for  copper. 

Care  must  be  taken  not  to  paint  a  lightning-rod.  Such  a 
coat  will  inevitably  deprive  it  of  its  utility.  The  hold-fasts 
for  conductors  should  be  of  wood,  having  a  glass  thimble  or 
ring  for  the  rod  to  pass  freely  through.  Thus,  there  will  be 
no  agent  to  draw  the  fluid  from  the  metal  to  the  building; 
and  being  left  unimpeded  it  will  readily  make  its  way  to  tlie 
ground. 

The  lower  end  of  the  rod  is  to  be  sunk  in  a  preparation 
of  sand  and  powdered  charcoal  three  feet  deep.  Its  extrem- 
ity is  to  be  split  into  three  or  four  parts  and  bent  various 
ways.  This  is  to  scatter  the  already  exhausted  fluid  when 
it  reaches  the  termination. 

If  water  is  at  hand  it  is  a  good  receiver  for  the  end  of  the 
rod. 

Any  country  blacksmith,  with  a  little  ordinary  tact,  can 
construct  one  of  these  iron  conductors,  to  suit  the  required 
purpose. 


LIGHTNING   CONDUCTORS.  77 

In  conclusion,  we  would  advise  that  the  support  given  to 
the  lightning  conductor  be  equal  to  the  violent  jar  created 
by  a  stroke  of  the  electric  fluid  ;  which  caution,  if  not  at- 
tended to,  might  make  the  conductor  instrumental  of  calam- 
ity, rather  than  of  protection. 


# 


WATER  SUPPLY. 


1 

Nothing  is  more  wanted  on  school  premises  than  good, 
wholesome  water  for  drinking,  and  few  things  more  desir- 
able than  soft  water  for  washing  purposes. 

In  the  country  a  deep  well  should  be  sunk  as  near  to  the 
Bchool-house  as  possible. 

In  the  city,  if  there  be  water-works,  the  pipe-water 
should  be  introduced.  If  no  such  supply  can  be  had,  a 
good  serviceable  pump,  or  two,  (one  for  the  boys',  and  one 
for  the  girls'  departments  should  be  supplied. 

A  cistern,  for  soft  water  received  from  the  roof,  should  be 
sunk  in  each  yard ;  and  such  cisterns  should  contain  not  less 
than  two  hundred  gallons  of  water.  A  long  trough  should 
be  set  up  in  a  wash-room  adjoining  the  wood-shed,  supplied 
by  a  small  pump  from  the  cistern  below ;  and  this  trough 
should  have  a  valve  and  stopper,  intended  for  the  escape  of 
waste  water.  These  cisterns  might  be  made  available  for 
hose  supply  in  the  event  of  a  fire. 

Children  could  not  have  a  greater  luxury  in  the  heat  of 
summer  than  cool,  soft  water  to  wash  faces  and  hands  in. 


80  WATER  SUPPLY. 

Certainly  nothing  could  more  promote  the  health  of  schools 
than  a  due  attention  to  this  subject  on  the  part  of  those  who 
have  the  guardianship  of  such  institutions. 

For  drinking  purposes,  clean,  serviceable  vessels  should 
always  be  at  hand  for  the  use  of  the  children,  and  there 
should  be  several  such  vessels. 

The  vessels  should  not,  on  any  account,  be  lined  with 
brick,  as  such  lining  is  sure  to  give  a  strong  flavor  to  the 
"W^er  after  a  few  years.  Limestone  or  sandstone  will  con- 
stitute the  very  best  lining  for  wells. 

Wood,  as  a  lining,  is  no  less  objectionable  than  brick,  for 
the  same  reason. 


ESTIMATING. 


The  wide  difference  between  the  various  parts  of  this  ex- 
tended Union  in  the  price  of  materials  and  cost  of  labor, 
must  render  an  approximation  to  actual  value  of  either,  in 
any  required  locality,  utterly  impossible.  True,  we  may 
compute  according  to  the  highest  market,  and  again  ac- 
cording to  the  lowest,  and  then  strike  an  average ;  but  this 
at  best  gives  but  a  very  unsatisfactory  result.  We  have 
therefore  come  to  the  conclusion  of  giving  for  each  of  the 
Church  designs  embraced  in  this  work,  a  general  bill  of 
quantities.  The  reader  will  have  only  to  affix  the  current 
price  to  each  item,  and  calculate  accordingly. 

Key. 

In  the  FIRST  column  will  be  found  the  number  of  times  any 
quantity  is  to  be  multiplied. 

In  the  SECOND,  the  description  of  work  or  material. 

In  the  THIRD,  the  quantity,  found  either  in  feet  and  inches, 
or  in  cubic  yards,  etc. 

In  the  FOURTH  column,  which  we  leave  blank,  will  be  the 
market  rates  of  each  item,  which  the  reader  will  fill  up. 


82  ESTIMATING. 

In  the  FIFTH,  which  we  also  leave  blank,  the  estimate  will 
be  figured  out. 

The  reader  will  readily  come  at  a  correct  knowledge  of 
the  value  of  the  required  work,  by  making  use  of  the  help 
here  given  to  him,  and  adding  any  items  he  may  think 
desirable. 


ESTIMATING. 


83 


COMPUTATION  OF  QUANTITIES. 

Material  and  Labor  required  in  executing  the  design 
for  a  Church  35    by  60    feet,  and  22  feet   high  to  eaves: 

A. 


2 
1 

60 


40 
40 
6 
6 


ESTIMATED  IN  WOOD-WORK— PLANK  OS  FLAT. 


Side  walls  60  ft.  high  each,  com- 
posed of  1^  in.  stuff,  8  in.  wide, 
containing,  board  measure,  .... 

Front  and  end  walls,  35  by  22  feet. 

Gables,  35  by  10  ft.  by  8  in.  thick, 
each,    

Walls  of  tower  13  ft.  6  in.  by  26  ft. 
made  hollow,  of  2  in.  hemlock, 
plank-on-end  inside  and  out,  .  .  . 

Do.  10  by  26  ft.  do 

In  belfry, 

Joists  under  floor,  12  by  2  by  34  ft. 
long, 

Flooring  boarding,  58  by  34  by  1^, 

Pairs  of  rafters,  24  by  6  by  3,  .  .  . 

Ceiling  joists,  34  by  8  by  3,    .... 

King  posts,  6  by  3, 10  ft.  long  each. 

Pairs  of  struts,  4  by  3,  7  ft.  long 
each,    

Boarding  on  side  of  roof,  62  by  25 
in.  stuff, 

1|  in.  stuff  in  seats  of  slips,    .  .  .  . 

Do.  in  backs  and  fronts, 

In  reading-desk  with  seat,  etc.,  .  .  . 

Paneling  of  slips,  reading-desk,  etc., 
f  in.  thick,  containing  130  yards 
square, 

In  16  windows  15  by  3  ft.  each,  and 
in  5  doors, 

Total  of  lumber,  inch  measure, .  .  . 


QUANTITY. 


21,120 
12,320 

5,600 


2,808 
2.080 
3,200 

4,080 

2,958 

2,880 

90 

84 

3,100 
354 
560 
180 


656 
483 


65,613 


2,316  cubic  ft.  of  concrete  for  foundation  will  take  145  bushels  of 
water-lime  and  1,592  bushels  of  sharu  sand  and  coarse  travel  mixed 


81  ESTIMATING. 


ESTIMATE 

For  Material  and  Labor  required  in  the  erection  of  the 
design  B,  70  by  30  by  20  ft.  to  eaves — estimated  in  brick- 
work. : 

B. 

142,000  of  brick  in  the  entire  building,  at per  thou- 
sand,      $ 

3,300  cubic  feet  of  masonry  in  foundations,  containing 

200  perches, 

4,060  feet,  board  measure,  of  flooring  joists, 

3,750  square  feet  of  flooring  boarding  1^  inch  thick,     

7,230  feet,  board  measure,  in  rafters, 

This  roof  is  to  have  a  double  set  of  rafters,  one  set  to  form  diag- 
onal braces  with  the  other.  The  whole  quantity  of  lumber  required 
is  here  given. 

633  feet  of  king  posts,  struts,  and  braces, $ 

2,100  feet  of  boarding  on  roof, 


ESTIMATING. 


85 


ESTIMATE 

For  Material  and  Labor  required  in  the  erection  of  a 
Church  68  by  30  by  20  ft.,  in  stone : 

C. 

2,240  cubic  feet  of  foundations,  containing  1,680  bushels 
of  concrete,  or  135  perches  or  rods  of  masonry, 
at per , $ 

443  perches,  of  rubble  masonry  in  superstructure,      

200  perches  of  rubble  masonry  in  octagon  and  buttresses,     


140  feet  lineal  cut  stone  in  hood-moldings,  over  ten  win- 
dows—  the  girth  of  those  hoods  would  be  18  in.; 
therefore,  the  superficial  square  ft.  would  be  210, 

151  feet  lineal  of  cut  stone  in  barge  course,  belt  courses 
of  tower,  belts  of  octagons,  etc.,  .    . 


20  squares  of  flooring, 

28  squares  of  roofing,  ^  pitch,  plain  truss, . 
425  yards  of  plastering  on  walls,  ceiling,  etc., 
3,850  laths  required ;  or  38J  bundles,      .    .    . 


ADDENDA. 


SCHOOL  FURNITUKE. 

There  has  been  a  very  wide  field  for  improvement  in  the 
accommodation  and  economy  of  school  furniture,  and  nothing 
has  been  so  much  neglected.  While  our  cabinet-makers 
are  wearing  out  their  intellect  in  striving  for  preeminence 
in  the  make  of  an  original  rocking-chair  or  footstool  for  in- 
dolent adults  to  indulge  themselves,  the  small  requisites 
which  the  growing  youth  demand  for  comfort  in  their  daily 
toil  of  study  are  overlooked  altogether.  Hence  the  school- 
room is  naturally  looked  upon  .by  the  pupil  as  a  place  of 
rough  usage,  where  it  is  his  unhappy  duty  to  attend  to  his 
imperative  task.  Such  should  not  be  the  case ;  the  school- 
room should  in  all  particulars  present  an  inviting,  rather 
than  a  repulsive  appearance  to  our  youth.  Let  Minerva 
look  more  like  a  kindly  mother,  and  her  tiny  temple  be 
more  of  a  home  to  her  favored  children.  In  this  way,  edu- 
cation will  acquire  more  seductive  power  over  the  young 
mind  than  as  under  the  present  too  long  existing  system. 
What  does  the  recollection  of  the  school-room  recall  in  the 
minds  of  the  grown  generation,  as  it  did  likewise  in  those 
of  their  forefathers,  but  a  forbidding  scene  of  whitewashed 
walls,  endless  rows  of  desks,  and  the  stiff,  supervising  aspect 
of  the  teacher's  tribunal.     Nothing  to  break  the  dull  monot- 


88  ADDENDA. 

ony  of  wall,  save,  (in  some  instances,)  a   map  of  "  The 
World,"  or  a  black  lecture-board. 

With  the  hope  of  improving  this  objectionable  state  of 
things,  and  of  making  the  intellectual  nursery  a  place  that 
may  be  sought  for  its  comfort's  sake,  and  remembered  for 
its  appearance  as  well  as  for  its  gifts  of  knowledge  given, 
we  will  now  proceed  to  enumerate  and  detail  the  things 
most  wanted  to  make  it  what,  no  doubt,  every  parent  and 
pupil  would  wish  it. 


ADDENDA. 


89 


THE  DESK  AND  SEAT. 

In  country  schools  it  has  been  customary,  for  the  sake  of 
saving  space,  to  have  but  a  few  desks,  to  be  used  by  those 
learning  to  write :  the  remainder  of  the  room  to  be  occupied 
by  seats.  This  is  a  bad  plan,  if  it  were  for  no  other  reason 
than  that  it  inclines  the  pupils  to  a  stooping  position :  as 
few  children  could  hold  up  a  book  for  hours,  not  having  a 
desk  whereon  to  rest  it,  without  placing  it  on  their  lap,  and 
of  necessity  bending  over  it.  No ;  let  the  very  youngest 
child  have  a  desk  high  enough  to  insure  freedom  from  spinal 
affections,  which  the  stupid  mode  just  alluded  to  is  but  too 
certain  to  promote. 

These  desks  should  be  of  elevations  to  suit  the  growi;h  of 
the  pupil,  and  each  should  have  a  gentle  inclination  also. 

A  groove  should  be  furnished  to  each  pupil's  desk,  to 
receive  and  hold  his  ink-bottle — the  ink-bottles  to  be  all 
collected  and  put  away  when  tuition  in  writing  is  over  for 
the  day,  to  be  distributed  again  vrlien  next  wanted.  A 
drawer  or  shelf  should  be  placed  under  each  desk.  A  sta- 
tionary shelf  would  perhaps  be  best,  to  prevent  the  occa- 
sional inconvenience,  to  a  neighboring  pupil,  of  using  the 
drawer. 

The  slate  should  have  a  pair  of  fixed  grooves  for  its  berth. 

Each  pupil  should  have  20  inches  of  desk-room,  and  the 


90  ADDENDA. 

breadth  of  the  desk  should  in  no  case  be  less  than  twelve 
inches. 

Along  the  bottom  rail  or  stand  of  the  desk,  there  should 
be  a  horizontal  foot-board,  four  inches  wide,  raised  three 
inches  from  the  floor,  on  which  the  pupils  may  rest  their 
feet. 

The  back  of  each  desk  will,  as  observed  on  a  former  page, 
act  as  the  back  of  the  seat  in  front  of  it ;  and  these  backs 
will  have  a  gentle  inclination,  so  as  to  carry  out  the  health- 
ful doctrine  of  expansion  of  the  chest.  And  here  it  may  be 
remarked,  that  the  closer  in  upon  the  sitter  the  desk  is 
placed,  the  more  certain  is  the  prevention  of  the  pernicious 
habit  of  stooping. 

The  Seat. 

In  forming  the  seat,  the  principal  objects  to  be  sought  are, 
the  accommodation  of  the  hight,  the  necessary  width,  and 
the  due  inclination  of  the  foot-board  spoken  of  above. 

The  required  hight  must  be  found  by  having  three  stand- 
ards :  one  for  the  youngest,  one  for  the  eldest,  and  one  me- 
dium. 'T  is  true,  the  raising  or  lowering  of  the  foot-board 
may  be  made  to  meet  this  requisition ;  but  it  would  be  more 
advisable  to  have  pupils  located  in  accordance  with  relative 
age  and  size. 

The  necessary  width  should  not  exceed  ten  inches,  nor  be 
less  than  eight. 

The  due  inclination  of  the  foot-board  may  be  thirty  de- 
grees, or  a  degree  or  two  more,  so  that  the  flat  of  the  foot 
may  rest  easily  when  sitting  up  or  when  writing. 

And  here  we  would  offer  a  suggestion,  which,  if  carried 


ADDENDA.  91 

out,  might  be  of  infinite  service  to  the  rising  generation, 
especiaily  the  female  portion.  It  is,  to  have  slats  screwed 
on  to  this  foot-board,  to  form  positions  in  which  to  place 
and  retain  the  feet,  so  as  to  overcome  that  repulsive  habit 
which  too  many  children  acquire  of  turning  in  the  toes  when 
sitting,  standing,  or  walking. 


93  ADDENDA. 


THE  WALL  FUENITURE. 

Evert  available  space  between  windows  should  be  fur- 
nished with  some  large  map  or  illustration.  The  orders  and 
styles  of  Architecture  should  be  displayed,  and  occasionally 
lectured  on,  so  as  to  give  pupils  some  insight  into  an  art 
which  has  exhausted  the  taste  and  invention  of  mankind, 
which  gives  pleasure  to  all,  and  yet  whose  rules  of  construc- 
tion are  seldom  known  to  any  save  the  one  whose  peculiar 
business  it  is  to  make  himself  acquainted  with  them.  In 
the  same  way  might  Geology,  that  wonderful  science,  which 
acquaints  us  with  the  properties  of  the  very  planet  we  in- 
habit, be  brought  constantly  under  the  inquisitive  eye  of 
the  curious  learner.  In  fact,  every  branch  of  human  infor- 
mation, mechanical  and  physical,  might  be  thus  exposed  to 
inspection,  and  mayhap  a  latent  spark  of  embryo  genius 
thus  find  its  way  to  kindle  up  and  illumine  the  world  with 
heaven-gifted  knowledge  that  might  never  seek  out,  in  the 
bound  pages  of  a  book,  the  subject  it  was  born  to  enlarge 
upon. 

Let  everything  in  and  about  the  school-room  wear  an  in- 
viting aspect;  and  even  the  lecture-board,  that  black  and 
repulsive-looking  object  of  terror  to  the  young,  be  a  brill- 
iant blue  or  red.  There  is  no  excuse  for  making  it  black. 
Chalk  will  show  as  well  on  the  colors  named  in  the  limited 
range  of  a  lecture-room. 


ADDENDA.  93 

In  the  larger  schools  or  collegiate  seminaries,  it  would 
be  an  ennobling  feature  to  introduce  life-size  busts  of  the 
great  men  of  America — the  patriots,  the  philosophers,  and 
the  statesmen,  that  their  presiding  genius  may  incite  the 
young  to  emulate  their  greatness,  and  so  become  themselves 
the  proud  monuments  of  national  glory.  Let  these  busts 
be  placed  in  an  elevated  line,  regulated  as  circumstances 
may  require ;  but  the  niche  above  the  teacher's  seat  should 
be  the  place  for  the  bust  of  him  whose  virtues  were  unri- 
valed, and  whose  position  in  the  hearts  of  his  countrymen 
should  thus  be  upheld  in  the  united  affections  of  the  young. 


94  ADDENDA, 


INTERIOR  COLORING. 

Although  white  is  a  very  neat  and  lively  color  for  the 
walls  of  a  school-room,  yet  it  must  be  recollected  that  as 
there  is  no  scarcity  of  windows,  there  is  no  actual  necessity 
for  having  the  lightest  of  colors.  And  as  it  is  the  most  hurt- 
ful of  all  to  the  eyes,  it  must,  on  this  latter  account  alone, 
prove  highly  objectionable. 

A  cream-color,  a  delicate  rose,  or  a  light  straw-color 
would  have  a  very  pleasing  effect,  particularly  when  set  off 
with  the  illustrations  spoken  of  in  the  preceding  chapter. 
It  would  be  less  like  "school"  and  more  like  the  home  of 
mental  enjoyment.  It  would  be  more  sought  after  as  a 
pleasant  gathering  place  for  aspirants  for  knowledge.  The 
bright,  gay  color  of  the  walls  would  reflect  its  waiTuth  upon 
the  youthful  mind  as  a  summer  sky  enlivens  even  the 
dullest  heart. 

There  is  more,  far  more  philosophy  in  this  simple  thing 
of  color  for  a  school-room  w^all  than  any  know,  save  those 
who  try  its  gentle,  telling  influence. 

The  busts  we  spoke  of  in  the  preceding  chapter  may  not 
be  within  the  means  of  some  localities  to  obtain.  In  such 
case,  the  large-sized,  lithograph  portraits  may  be  substituted 
with  good  effect ;  making  sure  to  have  all  of  the  same  size, 


ADDENDA.  95 

as  uniformity  is,  of  all  others,  the  most  desirable  lesson  to  be 
inculcated  by  every  available  channel. 

The  desks  and  seats  should  be  of  some  neat  color,  and 
the  frames  supporting  them  should  likewise  be  suitably 
painted. 

The  alleys  dividing  the  desks  should,  if  not  matted,  be 
painted.  But,  if  possible,  they  should  be  matted,  for  the 
purpose  of  carrying  out,  as  far  as  possible,  the  idea  of  home 
comfort  in  the  school-room. 


C^2~^f)o 


